Demon's Imminence
by Skullfrost
Summary: When Ciel runs into the the lone, smartest detective in the world known as L, his life- and the lives of many others, take a sharp turn from the path that their lives could have been. What is it like, living with a dead man, who has returned as a god of death, along with an entire mansion filled with supernaturals? It can get... hectic.
1. Jack The Ripper

**Untitled**

 _Summary: When Ciel runs into the the lone, smartest detective in the world known as L, his life- and the lives of many others, take a sharp turn from the path that their lives could have been. What is it like, living with a dead man, who has returned as a god of death, along with an entire mansion filled with supernaturals?_

 **This is heavily based on a roleplay between myself and another person. In fact, almost the entire thing is copy/pasted directly from the roleplay. Due to this, there may be errors with character POV or thoughts not being italicized due to formatting not copying over. However, I enjoy this roleplay a lot, and find its plot interesting- so I decided to show it to others.**

 **A small guide to character thoughts: If anything is written in first person and is not in quotes, it is a character thought. If it is not surrounded by ' ' or / /, then it is L or Near. You should be able to understand which one through context- also, Near doesn't show up until later chapters.**

 **Now, why did I put this in the Kuroshitsuji section instead of Death Note/Kuroshitsuji? Because this is not just Death Note X Kuroshitsuji, and includes many other characters from other media, even though they are different when it comes to background, and the 'main' world of the rp is Kuroshitsuji's.**

 **Also, the entirety of season 2 of the Kuroshitsuji anime was completely changed in this rp. You will see how it and its characters were changed and made better as the chapters progress. Also, title suggestions are welcome!**

 **CHAPTER 1**

Ciel and Sebastian had just exited their carriage, heading towards the large doors of the London townhouse.

"Ugh, there are just too many people in London!" Ciel huffed, looking annoyed as he climbed the steps, with his tall, raven-haired butler by his side. The tall man chuckled at the comment, a small smirk gracing his face.

"From the country manor to the London townhouse... It's traditional for the nobility to move en masse during the season," the butler stated, holding open the door for his master as the young boy entered the building.

"The season, eh?" Ciel remarked, rolling his eyes. "These cretins have too much free time."

"Getting away from the estate occasionally might provide a nice change of pace," Sebastian then said, looking amused. "For one thing, those four aren't here. We should be able to spend some quiet time, my lord."

"Quiet time, hmmm?" Ciel casually huffed, stalking over to another pair of doors and opening them... to reveal a bunch of clothes strewn all over the floor, with a man and a redhaired woman in the room.

"Lau?! Madame Red?! What are you doing here?!" Ciel exclaimed, gaping at them.

"Goodness, you're early!" the woman remarked, standing and sending a wide, bright smile towards the boy. Another man then poked his head up from behind the couch, with soft brunette hair tied back in a ponytail.

"You being here can only mean one thing," the first mentioned man, Lau, remarked, grinning.

"The queen's guard dog is making a move," the woman then finished the statement, also grinning.

Meanwhile, Light had finished his class and had just picked up the strange, black book. Huh? What's this? He opened it and read the first page of rules before smirking. "It must be a hoax of some sort," he commented to himself.

But nonetheless he found himself carrying the book under his arm as he walked down the busy streets. I must be crazy to consider this!

About an hour had passed, and Ciel now sat at a desk, lightly sipping at a cup of tea.

"Another prostitute was murdered in Whitechapel, yesterday," he then stated, expression deadpan. "These aren't ordinary murders. They're bizarre. No.. you could fairly call them aberrant."

"A special blade was used on the victim, Mary Ann Nichols," Sebastian added, standing beside his master. "And she was torn apart beyond all recognition."

"Here's what Scotland Yard and the press are calling them criminal..." Ciel then began, eyes narrowing. "Jack the Ripper."

"Jack the Ripper, eh?" Lau remarked, also sipping a cup of tea.

"So I hurried to London to ascertain the situation," Ciel continued, ignoring Lau.

Lau chuckled lowly at that, a small smirk on his face. "Do you have the guts to see the scene of that crime?"

"What do you mean?" Ciel questioned, eyes narrowing further.

"The darkness and bestial stench that pervade the scene eat away at those who share the same destiny," Lau responded, standing. "If you set foot upon it, you may be consumed by madness... Are you prepared for that, Lord Phantomhive?"

"I came here to dispel her worries," Ciel responded plainly. "Don't ask foolish questions."

"Very nice, I like the look in your eye," Lau chuckled, smirking.

At that exact moment, Light Yagami tested the Death Note, writing down first the name of a biker who tried to assault a young girl, and next the name of a lesser criminal.

He was sitting in his bedroom when a large, towering figure approached, melting out of the shadows.

"You've taken quite a liking to it."

Light yelped in surprise, falling out of his chair as he did so.

"No reason to act surprised. I am the Shinigami, Ryuk. That used to be my notebook. Judging by your laughter you've already figured out that what you have is no ordinary notebook."

Light smiled. "Shinigami, a God of Death, huh? Well, I'm not surprised. In fact… Ryuk, I've been waiting for you."

"Oh?"

"I've already figured out that this Death Note that I've found is real, it didn't take me long. And now that I've witnessed the proof of its power I only feel more confident in what I'm gonna do."

"That's interesting. I certainly wasn't expecting this. Several Death Notes have made their way into the human world in the past. But you're the first to have written this many names. Look at how many people you've killed in only five days. Most are reluctant to write this much."

"I've already prepared myself, Ryuk. I used the notebook even though I knew it belonged to a Shinigami, and now that Shinigami has come. So what will happen to me? You're here to take my soul, right?"

"Hmm, what do you mean? I that some fantasy you humans came up with? I'm not gonna do anything to you. The notebook becomes part of the human realm from the very moment it touches the earth. In other words, the notebook is now yours."

And so the exchange continued.

Finally, after quite some time, Light smiled. "At first, I wrote the names of the worst criminals I could think of. Like I was cleaning up the world, one name at a time. So that eventually no one will ever do anything evil again. And while the truly guilty ones who deserve to be punished for their crimes die of heart attacks. The people who are less guilty but who still make trouble for others will slowly be erased through disease and accidental death. Then and only then the world will start moving in the right direction. It'll be a new world, free of injustice, and populated by people who I've judged to be honest kind and hardworking."

Ryuk tilted his head at that. "But if you did that, it would make you the only bad person left."

"Huh? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a hard working honor student considered to be one of Japan's best and brightest. And I… I will become the God of this New World."

Ryuk chuckled. "It's just as I thought. HUmans are so interesting."

Ciel, Sebastian, Lau, and Madame Red now walked through the streets, approaching an alleyway that was filled with a couple of men, who were members of the Scotland Yard.

"Hey, what brings you here?" one of the men questioned, staring Ciel down. "This is no place for a child. Go on home."

"Where is the victim's corpse?" Ciel then asked up-front, staring at the man with a deadpan expression. The man's eyes widened at the question.

"Corpse?! What are you saying?" he exclaimed, stepping backwards.

"Abberline!" another voice then called. Another man then approached, glaring lightly down at Ciel.

"What are you doing here, Lord Phantomhive?"

"You know him?" The first man, Abberline, questioned.

"I came to clean up after the slow-moving hounds working on this case," Ciel then stated with a smirk, holding up an envelope. "Sir Arthur Randal."

The man glared down at the young boy even harder, growing annoyed. Ciel then opened the envelope, looking at its contents.

"Looks like you haven't gotten many clues.~"

The older man then quickly snatched the documents from the boy with an annoyed huff. "We of Scotland Yard will solve this case. We don't need your interference."

"Excellent. Let's go, Sebastian," Ciel then stated, walking right past the man, with his butler following behind, muttering a quiet "Yes, my lord."

Madame Red, Lau, and Madame Red's butler followed suit.

"What are you going to do?" Madame red then questioned, cocking her head.

"I believe the best thing would probably be to visit /him/."

"My lord, you don't mean-!" Lau protested, dumbfounded.

"In fact, I do."

L, meanwhile, was investigating the same case Ciel was, for no purpose other than to cure his nasty bought of boredom. He had not yet learned of the Kira murders and was preparing to dress up to go undercover for the case.

He put the slutty 1800's dress on with a frown, disliking the tight fit of the corset and the overall feel of the dress itself. It was black and red, and had laces.

Watari finished buttoning up the back and stepped away, awaiting further orders with a passive expression and his hands held together.

"Watari, please make sure that you keep this room secure until my return," L said in his normal, bored manner, adjusting his blonde wig and adding a puff of makeup to his face. "I'm afraid I may not return for longer than normal."

Watari agreed, and L stepped out of the apartment, quickly making his way downstairs and effortlessly walking onto the streets boldly.

Soon, the group now stood outside of a building, with a huge sign labeled: "UNDERTAKER".

They soon entered, looking around the building.

"Undertaker, are you here?" Ciel then called out, staring around the dark building, filled with coffins. They were soon greeted by creepy, eery laughter, and one of the upright coffins slid open to reveal the widely grinning face of a scarred man with long silver hair.

"I thought you'd drop by before long..." he crooned as the coffin slid open. "Welcome, my lord... Is today the day you'll condenscend to enter one of my special coffins~?"

Ciel snorted. "Certainly not, today I-"

He was soon cut off by the man, known as Undertaker, placing his hand onto his mouth, grinning widely.

"You don't have to tell me, I know," he chuckled, his grin only growing. "That wasn't the type of customer fit for respectable people... I'll have you know, I made her beautiful.~"

"I want to hear about it," Ciel responded plainly, expression his usual deadpan.

"Ahh, I see," Lau then commented, a knowing smile on his face. "So the funeral parlor is only your cover-up business. How much is the info?"

Undertaker immediately leapt at the man, still grinning wildly.

"I have no desire for any of the Queen's coins!" he exclaimed, eyes glowing an un-natural green underneath his long bangs, which covered them. He then dashed over to Ciel, getting very close into his personal space. "Come on, my lord, give it to me~! Give me prime laughter! Do that, and I'll tell you anything!"

Ciel stared at him with a deadpan expression as he said all of this, being extremely unamused. "Freak.."

"Leave it to me," Lau then piped up. "Behold the genius of the man that Shanghai called... the Sleeping Tiger of New Year's Parties!"

He then grinned, holding up one finger, as he simply said: "Every calendar's days are numbered."

When not a single person laughed, he gave a small "huh?" followed by a very confused expression.

And then Madame Red stepped up.

"If I must.. Madame Red, the belle of fashionable society, will tell you her special story!" she chirped, grinning. "So his [CENSORED] was completely flaccid and [CENSORED], but when I [CENSORED], the tip started bobbing like [CENSORED]-"

Not a single person laughed as her 'story' went on.

"Now, my lord, you're the only person left," Undertaker remarked, cocking his head to the side, as Lau and Madame Red now stood with red X's on white paper taped to their faces. "I gave you a special discount last time, but I won't do it again.~"

"Bloody hell," Ciel hissed, looking aggravated.

"I see there's no help for it," Sebastian then stated, stepping forward. "Everybody, please wait outside. You must not peek inside on any account."

And so, everyone stood outside, and very soon, could all hear wild, voracious laughter from inside the building, and they all stood there with deadpan expressions.

Sebastian then opened the door, a smile on his face. "Please come in. It appears he will tell us everything."

And with that, everyone entered the building again.

Undertaker was at his counter, his head lying on it as if he looked like his head was convulsing, when in reality he was laughing still. "Ahah... I've seen my Utopia.."

A while later, all of them sat together, with Ciel holding a glass of tea in his lap as Undertaker explained the circumstances of the prostitute's death.

"These days I often get customers who are... /incomplete/," the silver-haired man stated, with a small grin.

"Incomplete?" Lau then questioned, cocking his head.

"Yes, incomplete... The wombs are missing," Undertaker responded, petting a plastic human head. "Though the killer makes quite violent splatter, the wounds themselves are neatly cut out."

"It was done on a public road, even if it was not a high-traffic one," Sebastian commented, looking thoughtful. "Wouldn't such an excision have been difficult for an amaeteur, particularly in the middle of the night?"

"You're a sharp one, butler," Undertaker chuckled. "That's my opinion as well."

The man then stalked over to Ciel, kneeling down and getting in his personal space, putting a hand near his throat, lightly scraping his long fingernails across the boy's skin.

"First the Ripper slashes their throats with a sharp hand weapon," he began with a grin, lightly brushing his sharp nails over Ciel's abdomen with the other hand. "And then cuts /this/ part open... and takes what's precious to them.~"

He then stood, still grinning as Ciel looked very annoyed. "I am sure there will be others killed. People like that don't stop until someone stops them... Can you do it, o villainous noble Lord Phantomhive~?"

"On the honor of my family crest," Ciel responded, looking up at the man. "I eliminate anyone who defiles the Queen's garden, without exception... and by any means necessary."

Soon, the group had exitted, boarding the carriage. After a short discussion regarding the case, Sebastian then leaped right out of the moving carriage, much to the surprise of Ciel's 'assistants'.

And when they got back to the townhouse, he was already there, waiting for them. "Welcome back, I've been awaiting your arrival," he stated with a bow, smiling. "Your afternoon tea is ready."

"How did you get here?!" Madame Red suddenly exclaimed, staring at him.

"I finished my errands, so I came home ahead of you," Sebastian responded with a grin.

"You already finished your suspects list?!" Madame Red exclaimed, bewildered.

"No... I merely created a list of names based on the criteria which we've discussed, contacted them all, and directly collected their statements," the butler responded, pulling out a bunch of rolled-up sheets of long paper.

"Come now, Sebastian, even for you that would be impossible..." the red-haired woman stated, rolling her eyes.

Madame Red was then stunned into silence as he unfolded one very long sheet, and began reciting names of numerous people, along with their alibis.

"Through this investigation, I've narrowed it down to one person who meets the criteria," the butler then stated, as he finished the last name.

"Are you really just a butler?" Madame Red then dreamily questioned, staring at him. "Are you sure you're not a military intelligence officer?"

"No, I am merely one Hell of a butler," Sebastian responded, smiling and holding a hand to his chest.

Later that night, the group was in a carriage, on their way to a ball, hosted by their suspect.

"Aleister Chambers, the Viscount of Druitt," Sebastian stated from the driver's area. "He graduated from medical school, but has not gone into practice. He's thrown several parties at his home. However, people say he simultaneously holds secret parties that only his intimates may attend."

"I've heard rumors that he's into black magic and that sort of thing," Madame Red commented, cocking her head.

"So you suggest that at these underground parties, they perform rituals and sacrifice the prostitutes?" Lau questioned, smoking a pipe.

"Tonight is the last party of the season," Ciel then stated, stepping out of the carriage... in a dress and very long pigtails, disguised as a girl. "We only have one chance."

L brushed past the 'woman', tripping up in his black boots and falling flat onto his face on the grey concrete. "My apologies," he said quickly, righting himself and continuing on inside.

Something was off about his makeup, and dark circles were visible under his very masculine eyes. It was a poor disguise, but the detective did not plan on doing anything but sticking to the shadows and observing.

That's what he did best, after all.

It seemed like a regular-enough ball; L quickly found a corner and positioned himself there, pulling a pen and small pad of paper out of his bag and leaning against a pillar as he did so. His grey eyes were narrowed as he observed the party, taking notes as he did so.

Light, meanwhile, was asleep in his bed, resting peacefully. One night without writing names wouldn't hurt.

"Ciel will play my niece, visiting from the country," Madame Red chirped, inside the building and talking with the rest of their little group. "And Sebastian will play Ciel's tutor."

Sebastian was dressed in a teacher's outfit, with a pair of glasses on his face.

"Why do I have to play your niece?!" Ciel then exclaimed, red-faced and looking both embarrassed and annoyed.

"I always wanted a girl~!" Madame Red responded with a wide smile.

"That's your reason?" Ciel hissed, eye twitching.

"You can't let them know you're a Phantomhive, can you?" Madame Red then chuckled, easing up beside Ciel. "What's more, I'm told Lord Druitt is a ladies' man of catholic tastes, so this is to your advantage!"

Ciel was very, very disturbed by that statement, and it was visible on his face.

"Didn't you say you'd use any means neceassary?" Sebastian then said with a smirk, bending down close to Ciel's face. Ciel merely glared daggers at him.

After a few minutes, they were searching for the Viscount, exploring the huge party room. Ciel was quite surprised to find out that Elizabeth was among the party guests, and this resulted in him having to duck and hide quite often to escape her, as he certainly could not have her seeing him dressed as a woman.

Not only that, but they ended up having to pretend to dance among the other couples, to get closer to Viscount Druitt.

This ended with Ciel becoming exhausted from doing so, as he sucked at dancing, and also didn't have the endurance to keep it up. And so, he found himself panting on the floor for a few moments, until he and Sebastian were suddenly greeted by a man with shoulder-length blonde hair: Aleister Chamber, the Viscount.

"You danced like a lovely little robin, miss," the man purred, staring down at Ciel. Ciel then stood, facing him, with an unidentifyable expression.

Sebastian then bowed lightly. "Miss, I will go get you something to drink," he then announced, before stalking off, leaving Ciel alone with the other man.

Ciel was not amused.

"...G-Good evening, Lord Druitt!" Ciel greeted, trying to pretend to be a happy little girl, though it was very hard.

"Are you having fun~?" Druitt then questioned, extending a hand to him, grabbing one hand, and then lightly touching his lips to the top of his glove. "...my dear little robin?"

Ciel internally groaned at the action, but a smile remained on his face as he then responded: "It's a wonderful party, I'm so very impressed... But I've been wanting to talk with you, my lord.~"

"Oh?" the Viscount questioned, tilting his head.

Ciel's gaze turned bored. "I'm sick to death of dancing and eating," he then stated, putting on a very convincing act.

"What a pampered princess you are, little robin," the Viscount then purred seductively, wrapping one arm around Ciel's waste and pulling him close. "So you want something more amusing to do~?"

At the last comment, the man's hand then slid down... and groped Ciel's ass. Inwardly, Ciel was extremely disgusted, and it took all of his restraint not to kick the man's ass right then and there. And so, he forced himself to keep up the sweet little girl act, thinking: 'Endure it, Ciel... Endure it... This is the whole reason you let them do all of those horrible things to you...'

And then he had a flashback of being put in a corset, an experience which was very unpleasant.

"Do you know of something more amusing, my lord?" he then questioned, looking up at the Viscount with a sweet smile.

"But of course... and I'm willing to tell you, my darling little robin," the man responded in a seductive, low voice, cupping Ciel's chin.

'The moment this is all over, I'm going to kill this guy!' Ciel inwardly seethed.

"What is it?" he then asked sweetly, blinking up at the older man with his wide, deep blue eye.

His gaze then flashed to Elizabeth, who was standing a bit of a ways off, staring straight at them. 'What? She's looking this way!' he thought in alarm, desperately hoping she wouldn't come over.

"Do you want to know~?" the Viscount then questioned, smiling down at Ciel.

"I'm very interested," the younger of the two responded, looking interested but in fact inwardly seething. 'If Elizabeth comes this way, everything goes down the drain...'

"You might be a bit young for it," the blonde-haired man then stated in a teasing manner.

"I'm a lady, not a child," Ciel responded, still smiling up at him.

Panicked thoughts then ran through his head as suddenly, the dancing ended, and Elizabeth came running straight towards them... But thankfully, she was stopped in her tracks when Sebastian then shoved a large magician's box right in front of her, and began performing a magic show thing as a distraction.

"Huh, I don't remember ordering any parlor tricks," Druitt then commented, tilting his head and looking confused. Ciel then looked back at him, blinking.

"I'm sick of parlor tricks, too, my lord... pretty please?" he chirped, all while thinking 'gag me.'

"Alright, my little robin," the Viscount chuckled with a grin.

And he then stalked away, with Ciel following behind him.

L's expression darkened as he wrote down one word on his notepad: Pervert. He moved in the shadows, carefully avoiding the other 'women' and men and making sure he remained unseen. It was difficult; the dresses at that party were all large, and poofy, and L was a complete klutz in laced boots.

Soon, however, he had caught up to the two, and followed them silently, hoping they would not sense his presence. He scribbled down notes and words without removing his grey stare from the back of Ciel's head.

His gloves were making the tiniest of scratching noises on the paper, but he ignored it easily and continued to write notes about the Viscount and his poor victim.

The Viscount led Ciel into a dark room, and the younger male followed closely behind.

"We're going to a very nice place... quite amusing," the man stated, sending a perverted glance at Ciel. As they went farther into the room, Ciel was practically slapped in the face with a strange smell. 'What is that sickly sweet smell...?' he thought internally, eyes narrowing. He then suddenly became extremely dizzy, quickly falling over. 'Bloody hell..' he thought, as he then drifted off into unconsciousness.

"Yes... it's a very nice place, little robin," the Viscount hissed, smirking.

A while later, Ciel soon awoke, blindfolded, and in a cage, on a stage, in front of multiple people, though with a curtain down.

"And now, what you've all been waiting for... Tonight's crown jewel," came the voice of the Viscount. The curtain was then lifted, and Ciel was shown off to the crowd.

"You may enjoy her as a pet, or make a decoration of her," the Viscount chuckled darkly, smirking. "I imagine she'd even make an attractive part of a ceremony... or if you want to sell her parts individually, that's up to you."

He then gestured to the cage, staring down at Ciel. "Her eyes bear the contrasting colors of a deep forest and the sea reflecting a blue sky."

'A black market auction?' Ciel thought inwardly, confused, yet attentive.

"I shall show you now," the Viscount then announced.

'So he sold the organs of the prostitutes he killed here...?'

Someone then began to untie the blindfold, and a bunch of bids began to be shouted. Ciel's gaze darkened when his blindfold was removed.. and he called for his butler.

"Here I am, Sebastian," he then calmly hissed quietly. At that moment, the lights in the room went out, and the sounds of many people dying could be heard. When the lights returned, everyone was either dead or knocked out, and there was Sebastian, approaching the cage.

"Good grief..." he muttered, staring down at Ciel. "You're really good for nothing but being captured.."

"As long as I have the contract, you'll follow me anywehere, with or without my summons," Ciel then said quietly, expression deadpan.

Sebastian smirked lightly at that. "A 'contract' is a mark demons place on their prey to keep track of it," he stated quietly, looking amused. "The more noticeable the place you put it in is... the more executable it is. In exchange..."

"The prey can never escape the demon," Ciel finished the sentence, staring blankly at Sebastian. Sebastian then bent down, bending the bars.

"Yes, I shall accompany you anywhere, right up until the end. I shall never leave your side... even if I perish. I shall go with you even to the far reaches of Hell... I do not lie... unlike humans."

And with a snap of his fingers, the ropes binding Ciel's hands fell right off.

"Good. Never lie to me, no matter what anyone else may do. Never," Ciel then commanded, eyes narrowed.

"Yes, my lord..." Sebastian chuckled in response.

"So... this solves the Jack the Ripper case," Ciel then stated, glancing down at the unconscious Viscount. "It was unexpectedly easy..."

"I imagine Scotland Yard will be here before long," Sebastian then said, reaching down and lifting Ciel up. "We shouldn't stay here... Well, shall we go?"

And with that, Sebastian leaped right out the window, carrying Ciel in his arms.

L stared from the shadows with wide, grey eyes. He glanced down at his notes and gave a frustrated sigh. I'm a bit confused, but I'll get over it. I'm rather upset though.. He shook his frustration off and walked slowly to the window, maneuvering around bodies as he did so and glaring down at the man and, from what he knew, woman. I am awfully curious as to how they pulled off such a stunt.. Without another word, he, too, jumped out the window, kicking off the wall and landing on his feet in the center of the sidewalk.

The man began following the two, trying to maintain a careful distance. Unfortunately, he ended up glancing down at his pad of paper to see if he was writing in the correct language. This caused him to smash into the young woman, and he reeled back, holding his now-throbbing head and gritting his teeth. Ouch.

What had happened clicked in his brain, and he glanced up with wide, grey eyes. His expression was somewhat fearful. Did I just reveal myself? I think I did. Perhaps looking down was not my best idea, especially not while working on a case involving prostitution.

He quickly held out a black gloved hand to shake. "We meet again," he said simply. He made no attempts to mimic a woman's voice, as he suspected that the young 'woman' in front of him was actually yet another male, in disguise. "I apologize sincerely. I'm afraid I was not looking where I was walking."

Ciel glanced up at the other 'woman', surprised to hear a man's voice. He thought nothing of it, however, and retained his deadpan expression.

"It's fine," he said simply, blinking. He then took the other 'woman's' hand, lightly shaking it before then letting go.

L glanced behind his back, his eyes narrowing significantly. A strong wind blew the skinny man forward, and he braced himself against the nearby wall as it tried to slam him into it. His notes flew off, and he tried to reach out to catch them, once again tripping in his boots and falling face-first onto the sidewalk.

Luck is not with me tonight.

He stood carefully and brushed off his black and red dress, a small frown coming to his face as he held up the splintered pencil.

Of course, he held it the way he held all things- using a thumb and a forefinger.

His expression grew downcast. "Pity; I rather needed those." He was, of course, referring to the notes he had taken that had flown away.

Ciel continued to stare at him, expression deadpan.

Then, at that moment, a bird suddenly flew down, crashing into the hat that his wig was attached to, causing it to fall off... exposing the fact that he was male.

"Shit!" he hissed, quickly dashing to hide behind Sebastian.

L cocked his head to the side. "Ah, so my assumptions about you were correct." His grey eyes were slightly victorious. "You are, indeed, a male." I don't wish to reveal too much to him; he is still a stranger, after all. However... he seems intelligent enough, and may know a thing or two about the prostitute cases. Now, wouldn't that be surprising?

Without knowing it, he had brought a slender finger up to his mouth and was chewing on it with a wide stare in his eyes.

Ciel gave a hiss from behind Sebastian, sounding very aggravated now.

"I apologize for my master's behavior," Sebastian then stated, bowing lightly. "You see, if he was seen dressed as a woman, his family name would be tarnished."

Ciel poked his head out, eyes narrowed. "Don't tell anyone."

It was not a question. It was a command.

L held his hands up in defense. "Ahh, I'm not telling a soul." He rolled his black gloves up to his elbows and smoothed out the silk. "I have no reason to, nor will it benefit my personal interest." He slowly reached down and began picking shards of pencil off of the dark sidewalk.

Oh, dear; something tells me you're not an ordinary tranny, sir. And, family name? You must be of high importance... to some degree.

"Good," Ciel then sighed, finally stepping completely out from behind Sebastian. "Now, may I ask, why were you following us and writing notes on us?"

L froze, his grey eyes slowly making their way up to stare at Ciel. I certainly wasn't expecting that. Now I have a bigger problem on my hands: do I lie, or do I tell the truth?

"I saw your performance in the ballroom," he replied slowly, choosing his words carefully. "You see, I'm an investigator of sorts. I heard about the party and thought that it may supply valuable leads. When I saw the man behind it all taking you into the back room, I decided to follow." He paused. "Selling organs on the black market was certainly unexpected, but... I do not think that he was the killer." L held up a finger. "But that, my friend, is classified information." The man reached up and pulled his wig off, revealing his black, spiky hair. The blonde headpiece was starting to make his neck itch, which he scratched at half-heartedly. He then put the pencil shards into his dress pocket and stood, allowing his shoulders to slouch. "My notes are just that- notes. They're unimportant." They're very important, and I need help getting them back.

"He was the only man who fit our criteria," Ciel then stated. "We went to see the Undertaker, a funeral director, but also an informant associate of mine. He had examined the bodies of the prosititutes... all of their wombs were removed neatly. Such a surgical feat, expecially in the dark, could not be performed by anyone without medical knowledge. And so, my butler made a list of all those who fit the criteria, and contacted them all. Every one of them had alibis on the night the last victim was killed, except for Aleister Chamber, the Viscount. He's got to be the one."

A knowing smile formed on L's face. "Is that so?" he asked. This must be Ciel Phantomhive, the Queen's Watchdog. He's the only one I can think of who would be in danger of ruining his family name. "Ciel Phantomhive, please tell me: were any other body parts removed, or was it merely each woman's womb?" I wish I had my notes to write this information down.

"Only the womb," Ciel responded. "The rest... was torn up beyond recognition. But the wombs were always neatly removed."

He then exchanged a glance with his butler. "Come on, though; If you want to speak with us, please come to the townhouse, where I can take off these wretched women's clothes and put on my own. I'd rather not be seen like this in public."

L thought about the offer for a moment before finally accepting. He put the wig back on and nodded. "Alright, but... may you please help me gather my notes first? I'm afraid I don't want all night's work to have been lost in the wind and end up in the wrong hands." These are the wrong hands, but.. still.

"Sebastian," Ciel then simply said, and the butler immediately dashed around all over the place, and within only a minute had collected all of L's notes, neatly arranged and stacked the same way they had been before he dropped them. He then held them out to L with a small smile on his face.

L accepted the notes, once again holding them in his unusual manner.

They were written in several different languages, all of which L was fluent in. He neatly placed them back into his pocket and brought a finger to his mouth, chewing on it intently. "Please, lead the way. I'm afraid I don't know this city all that well."

Ciel gave a nod and set off, leading the way towards the townhouse. They stuck to the shadows, as Ciel had no desire to be seen in a pink frilly dress, and after a while of walking they finally made it to the townhouse. They then entered, and Ciel made his way up to his room.

After a few moments, he was dressed in his normal attire, and then led the way to a living room-like area, where he then sat in a chair, gesturing for L to do the same.

L followed, kicking off the boots and revealing his bare feet. He also took off the blonde wig and crawled into the chair Ciel had gestured to. He pulled his legs up, sitting in an almost crouch and resting his arms on his legs.

"The wombs were always neatly removed, and the bodies were always torn beyond recognition." This makes my suspicions true; the man we encountered tonight was not the killer. The man pulled out the shattered pencil and carefully removed the slip of graphite before writing down notes. He kept his grey eyes fixed on Ciel and Sebastian, writing without looking and once again writing in different languages.

"What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Phantomhive?"

"I believe Aleister Chamber is the killer," Ciel responded with a deadpan expression. "He's the only possible candidate left on the list Sebastian made... Sebastian, show him the list."

And with that, Sebastian whipped out the huge scroll, unrolling it and beginning to read out over 300 names, along with their alibis, finally narrowing the list down to one person.

L was grinning again, his finger on the edge of his teeth. "You do not seem very open minded," he commented. "Please re-evaluate your evidence based on what you witnessed tonight."

"What we witnessed tonight only confirms it," Ciel responded plainly. "Unless you're talking about the fact that he didn't kill me. In that case, that does not hold any evidence because the only people murdered were prostitutes... and I am most certainly not a prostitute. He was selling organs, however."

"Selling organs. Organs, Ciel. Organs. Do you happen to have any pictures on hand of the bodies?"

"No, I don't," Ciel responded. "And for all we know, the organs he was selling could have been wombs."

"If you want pictures of the bodies, I'd suggest seeing Undertaker," Sebastian then added. "Though, if you have a bad sense of humor, that would probably get you nowhere. He has a very.. /odd/ price to pay for things."

"Odd? I like odd." L continued chewing on his fingernails. I happen to know a thing or two, Ciel Phantomhive. However, I think seeing the bodies first would be a wise move on my part. "Mr. Phantomhive, do you recall what you told me earlier? Only the wombs were removed, and yet the man in the ballroom was quite clearly intent on selling other organs, not just the wombs. So, tell me now, Mr. Phantomhive: were any other organs removed from the prostitutes' bodies?"

"As far as Undertaker has told me, no," Ciel responded, eyes narrowed. "And I do not remember any such statement from the man. Again, for all we know those organs could have very well all been wombs... it's not like we looked."

L nodded, writing down everything being said at a breakneck speed. "I thank you for the information, Mr. Phantomhive," he said, standing and pocketing the notepad and holding out a hand to shake. "Your information will come in handy." He made sure he had the gloves tightly rolled up to his elbows; I do not want my DNA on Ciel's hands, in case he begins to suspect me of these heinous crimes. "I'm off to see the Undertaker; if you need me, simply call for L." And without another word, he left, putting his shoes and wig back on as he did so. I just revealed my identity to you, Ciel. It is both a loss and a gain; you are intelligent, and you will be useful in the future.

Ciel blinked as the man left, staring after him.

"That's L?" he murmured, looking up at Sebastian for a moment. "Well, that wasn't expected.."

L hurried along the streets, his red and black dress flowing behind him. He hurriedly took a makeup box out of his pocket and applied a few extra layers on the go, disguising his face completely and making him look like a legitimate, pretty young woman.

He arrived at the gates of the cemetery and entered quickly, making his way towards the building where Undertaker dwelled.

He knocked twice on the door and waited patiently, a small smile on his face.

Undertaker soon answered the door, staring at the woman in front of him, cocking his head to the side. It was past midnight by now.

"Ah, hello there, little lady~!" he greeted, chuckling. "May I ask, what brings you here at this hour? It's quite late, you know."

"I would like to see the bodies of the prostitutes," L replied, his voice disguised as a woman's. "I was hoping I might be able to hold vigil over my sister."

Undertaker brought a hand to his chin, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I was not aware any of these women had a sister. Usually, when funerals are arranged, I'm given a list of family members... May I ask your name?"

"Maria Shepherman," L replied. "Annie Shepherman's older sister." He was playing the part of a dumb blonde, but he'd done his research; he knew the victims' names by heart.

Undertaker frowned at that. "You know, young lady, if you were a detective seeking information you could just ask. Your name is not on the list."

"Ah, but female detectives seem to be frowned upon these days," L replied, his voice still masked. His expression darkened. "I need to see the bodies so I can come to a conclusion. Is there a fee I need to pay in order to do so?" Undertaker snorted at that, moving to the side and holding the door open. "Honestly, I see no issue with a woman playing detective," he chuckled, rolling his eyes. "That's all just a bunch of gender nonsense."

He then gave a large grin, getting in L's personal space. "But yes, my dear, I do in fact have a price... but I have no desire for the Queen's coins!"

He then pulled back, looking amused. "Give me prime laughter~! Do that, and I'll tell you, or show you, anything~!"

"Prime laughter? Hmm..." Judging from his personality, I would say he's a sucker for tasteless, crass humor. Luckily I know quite a few things about that.

"What's the similarity between American alcoholic drinks and a couple having sex in a canoe?" He lowered his voice. "They're both f*cking close to water."

Undertaker did not react, simply staring at the 'woman' with one eyebrow raised.

So, not a fan of making fun of things? That's actually rather surprising; most people who hear that joke laugh quite a bit. "If you aren't amused, then I'll try again. I must not be that funny a person." He thought for a little bit before coming up with the next one.

"Roses are red

Nuts are brown

Skirts go up

Pants go down

Body to body

Skin to skin

When its stiff

Stick it in

The Longer its in

The Stronger it gets

It goes in dry And comes out wet

It comes out dripping And starts to sag

Its not what you think...

Its a Teabag."

That should be crass enough. I'm disgusted with having to stoop so low, but I'm willing to say anything for information.

\Undertaker then burst out laughing at that, and continued for 5 fucking minutes. Finally, he ceased in his laughter, grinning and stalking over to his group of coffins.

"They're in these!" he chuckled, still laughing a small bit. "Feel free to examine as long as you'd like!"

L nodded his head, having quite suddenly lost any and all respect he had once held for the gray-haired man. He walked over to the bodies and began looking at them, poking and prodding.

"Well, isn't that interesting?" he commented, his voice lowering as he discovered vital information: the other organs were still there.

"We're not dealing with somebody who sells organs on the black market because if we were then these would not be here." His voice had lost its disguise. "This is an act of somebody who holds pure, unmitigated evil in their souls... or perhaps, somebody who wants revenge for something uncontrollable. Perhaps an abortion gone wrong? Perhaps she had an abortion, and it failed, and so she's taking her anger and envy out on other women who had abortions that were successful."

Undertaker cocked his head at that. "Now where did you hear anything about abortions?" he questioned, blinking.

"Just a crazy thought I had," L replied quietly. "It would make sense, though, wouldn't it? Children are removed from the womb during an abortion. The womb was removed from the women. Or... perhaps I'm overthinking things, and need to re-evaluate."

Undertaker chuckled at that, grinning at the other man. "Ah, you're a sharp one, aren't you?" he said with a grin. "I think you just might be onto something.~"

He then glanced out the window. "Though, I think it's time you should go now; It's quite late, you know. I'd rather like to sleep.~"

L nodded. "Very well," he replied, gathering his skirts and holding them above his ankles as he carefully stepped out of the building. "Thank you for your cooperation." Tasteless cooperation, but cooperation nonetheless.

He left without another word, headed back towards his temporary living quarters. He quickly scribbled down everything he was thinking.

Soon, he had reached his apartment and enlisted Watari's help in undressing. He pulled his jeans on and sat down in front of his monitor, chewing intently on his thumb and thinking about all that he had learned. Watari, meanwhile, helped him into an oversized white shirt, his usual attire.

Light Yagami continued to write down names and converse with Ryuuk, and before long the case reached Interpol.

"L is already on the move," Watari announced, appearing from the shadows and opening a laptop to display the cloister black L.

"Greetings to all of you at the ICPO. I...am L."

"The difficulty of this case lies on its unprecedented scope. And make no mistake. We are witnessing an atrocious act of mass murder, one that is unforgivable. This case cannot be solved without the full cooperation of the ICPO. That is all of the police organizations you represent throughout the world. You need to make the decision to fully support the investigation at this meeting. Also I require additional cooperation from Japan's National Police Agency."

Light's dad grunted. "Huh? What? Why Japan in particular?"

"Whether this guilty party is an individual or a group, there is a strong possibility that they are Japanese. And even if they are not, we can be sure they're hiding in Japan."

"What exactly is all this based on?" Soichiro asked.

"Why Japan, you ask? I think I will be able to provide you with proof of that after I directly confront the culprit."

"A direct confrontation?"

"At any rate, I would like to set up the investigation headquarters in Japan."

The broadcast was live, and was being broadcasted all over the world. A man named Lind L. Tailor spoke.

"Criminals around the world are being murdered by a serial killer. I consider this crime to be the most atrocious act of murder in history. I will not rest until the person or persons responsible are brought to justice. Kira, I will hunt you down. I will find you."

He continued to speak while Light did his thing.

"Kira, I've got a pretty good idea what your motivation might be and I can guess what you hope to achieve. However, what you're doing right now is evil."

A few seconds later, and the man clutched at his heart, hitting the desk with a loud thud. Two men approached and carried him away... and the screen switched to L.

"Ah. I had to test this, just in case, but I-I never thought it would actually happen. Kira...it seems you can kill people without having to be there in person. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just witnessed it. Listen to me, Kira. If you did, indeed, kill Lind L. Tailor, the man who you just saw die on television, I should tell you that he was an inmate whose execution was scheduled for today. That was not me."

This enraged Light. "What!?"

"The police arrested him in absolute secrecy, so you wouldn't have heard of him on TV or through the internet. It appears not even you have access to information about these types of criminals."

Ryuk laughed. "He got you there."

"But I assure you, L is real. I do exist. Now...try to kill me!"

Light's eyes narrowed. "You... you bastard."

"What's wrong?! Go ahead! Come on, right now! Kill me!"

People in streets all over the world were murmuring among themselves. L continued to challenge Kira.

"Can't you do it? Well Kira, it seems you can't kill me after all.

So there are some people you can't kill. You've given me a useful hint." He paused.

"A dealer to a saver. I'll tell you something that I think you'll find interesting. Although this was announced as a worldwide broadcast, the truth is, we are only broadcasting in the Kanto region of Japan. I had planned to broadcast this message around the world until we found you, but it looks like that won't be necessary. I know now where you are."

Ryuk laughed again. "This L guy is pretty good."

"The police treated your first killing as an unrelated incident, but in actuality, the first of your victims was a suspect in Sinjuku. Of all the criminals that recently died of heart attacks, this one's crime was, by far, the least serious. Furthermore, his crime was only ever reported inside Japan. I used that information to deduce this much. You are in Japan and your first victim was little more than an experiment, which means you haven't been killing for very long. We decided to broadcast in Kanto first because of its large population, and, luckily, we found you. To be completely honest with you, I never expected it would go this well. But it won't be too long now before I'll be able to sentence you to death. Naturally, I am very interested to know how you're able to commit these murders without being present...but I don't mind waiting a little bit longer. You can answer all of my questions when I catch you...Let's meet again soon, Kira."

The broadcast shut down, and L stood, making his way towards the large window overlooking London.

"Kira... I will hunt you down wherever you're hiding and I will eliminate you. I am justice."

Ciel had been watching the broadcast out of boredom, with Sebastian by his side.

"Seems that L guy's already on another case as well," he remarked in deadpan. "And in Japan... I've heard that place is really screwed up."

Sebastian smirked at that comment and nodded.

By now, Madame Red, her butler, and Lau had returned to the townhouse as well, and were casually lounging in the living area.

The next day soon came, and Ciel was in the middle of a chess game with Madame Red, staring down at the headline if the newspaper: Jack the Ripper strikes again.

"This is no time for chess..." Ciel huffed, looking aggravated.

"Working excessively at it will do you no good," Madame Red responded, moving a chesspiece. "Why not leave everything to Sebastian?"

"He's just my chess piece," Ciel stated. "I'm the one who moves him by giving him orders... But he's not an ordinary chess piece. He can advance as many squares as he likes at once... Like this."

And with that last comment, he grabbed one of his own pawns, and moved it all the way across the board, knocking one of Madame Red's pawns down, much to her surprise.

"That's against the rules!" she exlaimed, grabbing her pawn and putting it back on the board.

"Yes.. if this were a game, it would be," Ciel responded with a light smirk, resting his chin on folded hands. "But rules have no meaning in this world. There are always knights who break the rules, and pawns who betray. If you let your guard down, before you know it.. it's checkmate."

L had put aside the Kira case to work on the Jack the Ripper case. He enjoyed multitasking; it was challenging, which he desired more than anything else in the world. He frowned as he reviewed his notes.

Watari set a plate of strawberry cake down in front of him, which he began to nibble on half-heartedly. "Watari, have there been any more deaths as of yet?"

"One," Watari replied. L's expression darkened.

"The Kira case is going to inevitably bring us to Japan, so I would like to solve this case as soon as possible; however, Mr. Phantomhive is in the way of that." He paused, biting his nails. "I will need to contact him shortly. But... maybe later."

"You must've had other choices in life besides being the underworld's guard dog," Madame Red commented nonchalantly about an hour later. "My sister... your mother must have wanted something else for you, too.. And yet, you returned to the underworld. Is it because you're trying to avenge your parents' murders?"

Ciel had been sipping a cup of tea as she spoke, and as she asked that final question, he set it down, calmly looking up at her. "Revenge won't bring the dead back, and it certainly won't make them happy. But... I didn't come back to the house of Phantomhive for my predecessor's sakes. I did it for me."

Madame Red stared at him, and didn't speak. Ciel then continued. "I just want to make the people who betrayed and defiled my family suffer the same humiliation and pain that I suffered."

"I still remember the day you were born..." Madame Red then commented, staring down at her lap with a small smile. She then stood and stalked over to Ciel as she continued to speak. "You were so tiny and cute, and I thought, 'I have to protect him.'.. I wasn't able to have a child, but I think of you as my own son."

She rested her hand on top of Ciel's head, smiling softly down at him. "I wish you'd leave the under-"

She was cut off as Ciel grabbed her arm and lifted it off of his head.

"Being here now is something I wanted, and something I chose. I don't regret it, and I can't let anyone spoil me," he then said, looking up at her.

And the Death Note characters did Death Note things.

A while later, Madame Red was by the door, with Sebastian by her side.

"You don't have to excort me, Sebastian," the red-haired woman chuckled.

"But, my lady," Sebastian responded, about to protest, causing her to look up at him.

"Please don't leave that boy's side," Madame Red cut in. "Make sure he doesn't stray from the path and get lost."

Sebastian gave a small grin, and got down on one knee, bowing to her. "Fear not. I shall stay by his side and protect him to the end."

A while later, the door opened, with Madame Red's butler outside with an umbrella, with a carriage pulled up.

"I've come for you, my lady," he stated, and Madame Red gave a nod, stepping out into the rain.

The next morning, Ciel was resting on his bed, until Sebastian then entered.

"Well?" Ciel prompted, as Sebastian stood in the doorway, shifting through papers.

"No matter how many times I examine it, the result is the same," Sebastian responded plainly.

"The viscount had nothing to do with yesterday's murder," Ciel then sighed, sitting up.

"Indeed," Sebastian responded with narrowed eyes. "And none of the humans inside of his mansion could have done it."

"Quite... no humans in there.." Ciel murmured then sighed and rested a hand on his head. "Anyway, tomorrow we'll..."

He then looked up at Sebastian. "Sebastian... don't tell me you..?"

"I've told you over and over: I do not lie," the butler responded witha small smirk. "Involved in medicine, ties to secret societies or black magic, and no alibi for the nights the bodies were found: The only human that fits those criteria is the Viscount Druitt."

"Was your investigating a farce, then?" Ciel questioned, eyes narrowed.

"You see, I am simply one Hell of a butler," Sebastian answered, still smirking, as he then rested a hand on his chest. "I simply faithfully carry out my master's orders and instructions."

Ciel growled at that, scowling at his butler, as Sebastian then tossed the papers into the air.

"With one order from you, I could become your pawn or your sword," he said with a grin, eyes flaring. "Now... put the villain in check, master.~"

Later that night, the two of them were hiding out in a dark alleyway, talking quietly among themselves.

"He'll show up if we stake out this place, right?" Ciel questioned, looking up at Sebastian.

"Yes," the butler responded, without looking at Ciel.

"It's true that the murdered prostitutes had other things in common besides having their organs removed," Ciel then murmured, looking thoughtful.

"Beautiful, glossy black hair," Sebastian then commented offhandedly.

"But. why should he have to kill them?" Ciel pondered, looking ahead.

"Sinfully lovable..." Sebastian continued, going off on his own tangent.

"And I-"

"So soft... yes, so soft..."

Ciel then growled lightly and glared at Sebastian, who was snuggling a fluffy black cat.

"Listen when I'm talking to you!" Ciel snapped, looking very aggravated. Sebastian then turned to glance at Ciel, blinking.

"My apologies, she's a rare beauty," the butler then apologized. "...So soft."

They then heard a loud scream, and immediately jolted, turning their heads in the direction of the scream.

"No one could have gotten past us..." Ciel muttered, quickly turning and rushing towards the sound, Sebastian following quickly after.

Ciel then came to a door, and immediately opened it, eyes widening in horror at what he saw: The dead body of the woman who was just murdered. Sebastian then suddenly lunged, grabbing Ciel and pulling him back, a hand over his eyes.

After a moment, Sebastian then spoke, still covering his master's eyes.

"That's quite a mess you've made, Jack the Ripper," he stated, glaring at the doorway with a large smirk. A figure then stepped out of the shadows of the doorway: A man with long, brunette hair tied back in a ponytail, and broken, bloodstained glasses: Madame Red's butler.

"Or should I say... Grell Sutcliff?"

The butler reached out one hand, trying to feign a look of innocence. "You... you have it all wrong!" he protested, trying to look weak and shaky. "I heard the scream and ran over here, but... she was already..."

"I think you can stop playing innocent in that body, Grell," Sebastian then hissed, staring the other butler down. "This is the first time I've met someone like you in the human world... You performed the role of 'harmless incompetent butler' quite adeptly."

"Adeptly?" the other man then responded, as he suddenly looked up at Sebastian, his face contorting into a huge, psychopathic, sharp-toothed grin. "Do you think so~?"

He then pulled the ribbon out of his hair, and it dropped, becoming long and flowing. "That's right..."

He changed his glasses, at that moment, and grabbed a comb, brushing it through his hair. It quickly changed from brunette to bright red, and he grinned wildly at Sebastian. "But you're not 'Sebastian' either, are you~?"

"That's the name I recieved from my young master, so yes, I am..." Sebastian responded plainly. "...At the moment."

"My, so you're a 'faithful dog' character," Grell chuckled, smirking. "Though for a fine-looking man like you, that's fabulous, too.~ Well then, Sebastian... no, Sebas-/chan/, let me re-introduce myself. I am Grell Sutcliff, butler to the Burnetts... I'm sure we two butlers can get along marvelously.~"

At that moment, the other man blew Sebastian a kiss, much to his disgust.

"Ah, I finally get to meet you in my true form!" Grell then exclaimed, still grinning. "I'd never seen a demon playing butler before, so I was surprised when I first saw you!"

"That's my line," Sebastian responded, unamused. "I never imagined someone like you would play a butler.. Someone who stands neutral between man and God... a grim reaper. Shinigami.."

He then narrowed his red eyes, staring the shinigami down. "Why would a divine being such as yourself bother to play a butler?"

"Good question," Grell chuckled, looking amused. "Perhaps I should say I fell in love with a certain woman."

Sebastian's gaze grew cold, and Ciel's as well beneath the demon's hand.

"And that woman would be?" Sebastian then hissed, eyes narrowed.

"You don't need to ask, do you?" Another voice- a woman's- asked. Then, out of the shadows, stepped none other than Madame Red, approaching Ciel slowly. Ciel then slowly lifted Sebastian's hand from his face, staring at the woman with a deadpan, emotionless expression. "Madame.."

"I didn't calculate on anyone being able to see Grell for what he is," the woman then commented.

"Naturally, you were on the initial suspect list," Ciel then stated, eyes narrowed. "But your alibi was perfect."

"You even suspected your own aunt?" Madame Red then questioned, tilting her head.

"If you had the potential to be Jack, then any blood relations would be irrlevant. None of the humans on the suspect list could have committed all of the murders. But if one had an /inhuman/ accomplice, that could change everything. If he could enter the room in an instant without our noticing, he could also instantaneously get from the viscount's to the East End. You two are the only ones who could be Jack the Ripper... Madame Red, and Grell Sutcliff."

Impressive.

L, of course, had once again gone undercover, in constant contact with Watari. He had a headpiece and microphone on and was recording everything he saw and heard. He scratched half-heartedly at his blonde wig, his grey dress flowing to the ground.

Mr. Phantomhive, I am impressed by your performance. Unfortunately... it may or may not be enough to convict the criminal. You're going to need far more evidence.

"Jack the Ripper's victims had other things in common," Ciel then continued, eyes narrowed as he spoke. "They all underwent a certain surgery at London Central Hospital, where you work." He pulled out a slip of paper. "The only patient on the list who hadn't yet been killed was Mary Kelly, who lived in that flat. I thought you'd show up here if I kept an eye on the place... I couldn't save her, though..."

"This is unfortunate, my beloved nephew Ciel.." the woman responded, staring down at him. "If you hadn't figured it out, we could have played chess together again. But.." She clenched her hands, her eyes going wild. "I won't give anything up this time!"

Grell then suddenly whipped out a chainsaw-like machine, fully intent on slicing Ciel in half. He was quickly stopped by Sebastian though, who held the revving end of the blade in his two hands, away from Ciel. He tried pushing it back towards Grell, and the shinigami flipped backwards, snatching the blade out of Sebastian's hands.

"Wh... What is that thing?!" Ciel then exclaimed, staring at it with wide eyes.

"Grim reapers possess tools for harvesting souls," Sebastian then responded, glaring at Grell. "That is a reaper's sickle."

Grell then frowned at that, an indignant look on his face. "Sickle is such a dull name, don't call it that!" he snapped, looking annoyed. "Not after I've customized it to my personal specifications!"

He then grinned again, holding the blade vertically in front of his face. "This is a 'death scythe' only I can wield, and it can hack any being to pieces!"

He then pointed it down to the ground, striking a strange pose. "I've behaved myself so much lately, I'm out of shape now! I want to get some real excersize for a change... with you~!"

"Could I ask you not to say such repugnant things?" Sebastian snorted, disgusted. "I am on duty."

"Ah, how stoic you are!" Grell exclaimed, waving his scythe around dramatically. "Yet another thing that makes you irresistable!"

He then pointed the blade towards the ground again, taking a step forward. "You see, I love the color red," he began, smirking. "Red is my favorite color for hair, clothes, and lipstick. So I paint those ugly women with pretty, pretty red blood.~"

He then pointed the blade at Sebastian. "Sebas-chan... I'll make you even finer looking than you already are! I'm really going to tear you up inside... and make you red like beautifully scattered rose petals.~"

"A grim reaper quietly harvests the souls of the dying. A butler subserviently follows his master like a shadow. Your vulgarity violates the aesthetics of both," Sebastian then hissed, disgusted at Grell's behavior. "And quite frankly, I find it sickening."

L stepped further back into the shadows. Oh dear... well done, Mr. Phantomhive. But.. shinigami?... that cannot be... He continued to scribble notes down.

"Oh Sebas-chan, you wound me," Grell chuckled, grinning with his sharp, shark-like teeth. "I'm a more /deadly/ efficient butler than I look!"

And with that, he struck a pose, sticking his tongue out between his teeth, and making the rock sign with one hand near his face.

Ciel then brought his hand to the eyepatch over his eye, and slowly removed it, revealing the contract seal on his eye.

"In my own black name and that of the Queen, I order you... Put an end to them!" he then growled, as the seal began to glow.

"Yes, my lord..." Sebastian responded, smirking, as his red eyes began to glow. He gripped the bottom of his glove with his teeth, slowly pulling it off, and then bgean to stalk towards Grell.

L wanted to step forward, but he didn't. He instead stood right where he was, writing down in explicit detail everything that was happening.

A fight soon started, with the shinigami revving his chainsaw and swinging it at Sebastian, sending multiple taunts. "Ah yes, run more~! We'll play tag, Sebas-chan!"

Sebastian could merely keep dodging as Grell continuously slashing at him with the scythe, a maniacal grin plastered on his face. He was soon pinned to a wall, his hands on the blade, keeping it pushed away from his face as Grell attempted to slice him with it.

"Now, now, if you don't escape fast, you'll get cut," Grell chuckled, smirking. "It's so much more stimulating when it hurts a little, isn't it~?"

"We've now become a guard dog and his prey," Madame Red then stated casually, away from the two fighting beings. "If it's hunt or be hunted... there's only one choice!"

She then suddenly drew a dagger, charging at Ciel. She then slashed his arm, drawing blood, and he staggered backwards, clutching at the wound. Sebastian's eyes widened as he watched that, and he still struggled to push the shinigami away.

"You're a doctor!" Ciel then exlaimed. "Why do this?!"

"A kid like you would never understand, even if I told him," the woman responded, slowly turning to face Ciel again with a cold glare. She then lunged at him, gripping him by the throat and slamming him violently against a wall. "You... You... You should never have been born!"

She then raised her dagger, about to stab Ciel. She was quickly stopped, however, by Sebastian, who quickly dashed under Grell's blade, which dug itself into his shoulder as he passed, nearly slicing his arm off, and lunged for the woman, almost about to actually kill her, if it weren't for Ciel.

"Stop, Sebastian!" he yelped, eyes wide. "Don't kill her!"

Sebastian then paused, pulling his hand back, from where he was about to strike and kill her. Madame Red then stepped back, dropping the dagger, and Sebastian pressed a hand to his shoulder, panting.

"Sebastian..." Ciel then murmured, looking over at the injured demon. Grell then suddenly ripped his scythe free from the wall in which it had ended up embedded in, and once again turned to face them.

"Oh, Sebas-chan, you've got a backbone," he teased with a smirk. "To think you'd sacrifice an arm to save that kid... But how poorly you compare, madam!"

He then stalked towards them, eyes deadly. "Hurry up and kill the brat!"

Madame Red had buried her face in her hands, eyes filling with tears. She then slowly pulled them away, looking down at Ciel. "I loved my sister... I loved him... I loved their... I can't.."

She then hugged herself, squeezing her eyes shut. "I can't do it after all... I can't kill him."

"You're saying that /now/?" Grell scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You've sliced so many women to bits! If you don't erase him, he'll erase you!"

"Madam..." Ciel murmured quietly, eyes wide.

"But... But..." Madame Red stuttered, staring down at the Ciel, before spinning to face Grell. "This boy is my-!"

She was suddenly silenced by Grell's death scythe plunged right through her chest.

"I'm disappointed in you, Madame Red!" Grell sneered, smirking wildly as she fell to the ground. "I have no interest in you if you're just another woman!"

As the woman fell, her cinematic record then shot through her body, playing the many scenes and memories of her life.

"This is..." Sebastian began, staring.

"Our job as grim reapers is to replay and examine the memories of those on the To Die list distributed by the Powers that Be," Grell began to explain, grinning. "We determine what kind of person they were, what kind of life they lived, whether they should be killed or left alive..."

"In other words, you make their life flash before their eyes," Sebastian stated, glaring lightly at the shinigami.

"Ugh, don't call it something so dull!" Grell exclaimed in aggravation. "This is the grim reaper's true ability: dramatic pain. This is the Cinematic Record!"

And then Madame Red's cinematic record played her tragic life story of how she hated the color red, which was the color of her hair, met Vincent Phantomhive who enjoyed it, and made her like the color, but he married her sister instead and she hated it again, then she got married and was going to have a child, but in a carriage accident she ended up getting a miscarriage and her womb had to be removed, and a bunch of other dramatic and sad shit.

L stared in horror at the woman, his grey eyes wide and glowing. This is awful. He continued to write down what he saw in graphic detail, however; the grey dress helped to disguise him, and he remained unseen... for now.

"I loved you when you were dyed crimson with your victims' blood," Grell then sneered, glaring down at her corpse. "Madam Red. I'm disappointed you turned out to be such a trite woman! You don't have what it takes to wear red."

And with that, he stalked up to her, pulling off her red coat, and putting it on himself. "Your cheap little melodrama ends now.. Farewell, Madame."

And with that, he turned his back, beginning to stalk away.

Ciel then bent down, brushing a hand over his dead aunt's eyes, gently closing them.

"What are you doing Sebastian?" he then said quietly, turning to look up at the demon. "I told you to put an end to Jack the Ripper. It's not over yet. Don't dawdle, hurry up and kill the other one!"

Grell then stopped walking, chuckling a bit. "I was going to be nice and let you go, but if you insist..." he began with a grin, then revving his scythe and turning towards them. "I'll send you both to heaven!"

L continued to take notes, his pencil rapidly moving as he scribbled notes on the notepad. A part of his grey skirt became visible, but he quickly pulled it back into the shadows, hopefully before the others caught sight of it. That was close. I'm afraid I'll have to be more cautious. When this fight is over, I will escape through the window. Escape plans are always a good idea, despite the fact that everything I do is improvised.

"Heaven?" Sebastian then chuckled, looking vaguely amused, as he then leaped into the air. "Heaven and I are strangers."

Sebastian then aimed a kick for Grell's face, which the shinigami quickly dodged.

"You just went for a lady's face!" the red-haired reaper yelped dramatically. "You're a /fiend/!"

"Of course..." Sebastian responded with a smirk. "I am merely one Hell of a butler."

"Do you think a demon can beat a divine being?" Grell then huffed, slicing his blade through the air.

"An interesting question," Sebastian murmured, still smirking. "However, if my young master tells me to win, I shall win."

"You're quite keen on that puny little brat," Grell snorted, rolling his eyes and resting a hand on his hip. "I'm jealous... Even demons cease to exist when I reap them with my death scythe.~ Aren't you afraid?"

"Not in the least," Sebastian responded coolly, resting a hand on his chest. "I belong to my master, body and soul... even down to the last hair on my head. As long as the contract is in effect, I follow his orders. That's the butler aesthetic, you see.~"

Interesting loyalty. L paused in taking notes and held a hand to his head, feeling a little woozy. I must be dreaming, or vividly hallucinating; shinigami and demons do not exist, and never will.

And then the fight began, between the demon and shinigami. Both of them leapt into the air, fully intent on killing eachother.

"I suppose a meeting of the minds is impossible~?" Grell said with a smirk, staring Sebastian down. "Our feelings for eachother are forbidden... It's just like the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet~! Oh, Sebas-chan, Sebas-chan~! Wherefore art thou, Sebas-chan~?"

Sebastian then aimed a kick at Grell's face, which he dodged easily. The two then both ended up on a rooftop, staring at eachother.

"If you'd refuse that appalling name your master gave you, and focus on me alone..." Grell started to speak smirking over at Sebastian.

Sebastian merely smirked back. "From the moment my master called me 'Sebastian', that word became my new baptism and contract. I've been Sebastian since that day... By yonder moon I swear it."

"What an insincere man you are, to swear by the inconstant moon," Grell purred, grinning. "Your eyes are impure eyes that love no one. You are a devil who profanes innocent souls with your unworthy hands and lips.."

He then dramatically spun around, grinning wildly. "Oh, it's so good~! You thrill me, Sebastian~!" he cackled. "I feel as if I could bear your children~!"

"Please stop, that's repellant," Sebastian then snorted, looking extremely unamused.

"Oh, you're so cold," Grell stated, looking like he was thoroughly enjoying this. He then revved up his death scythe, charging straight at Sebastian. "Beautiful tryrant!"

As he swept his scythe at Sebastian's legs, the demon quickly lunged into the air to dodge it.

"Fiend angelical!" the shinigami slashed his scythe at Sebastian's head, and the demon quickly bent backwards to avoid it. "Dove feather'd raven~!"

Sebastian then kicked out, an Grell and the demon were soon interlocked. "Sebas-chan~!"

The shinigami's scythe was soon stuck in the pavement of the roof.

"Oh, Sebas-/chan/... Would that morning never come!" Grell said dramatically. "Then the two of us could live in love like this forever!"

Sebastian had one leg propped up on the shinigami's scythe, and Grell leaned in to his face with a grin. "But our amorous adventure ends now."

He then grinned and violently headbutted Sebastian, causing him to stumble backwards. "We part with a passionate kiss~! A thousand times, a million times good night~!"

He then whipped his scythe out from the roof, and promptly slashed Sebastian right across the chest with it, drawing blood and causing the demon to gawk in surprise.

"Now, show me a drastic and dramatic Record!" Grell exclaimed, grinning psychotically. The cinematic record then shot out from the demon's body... and only showed some parts from his time with Ciel.

Needless to say, Grell was /very/ unamused.

L stared at the battle from the window. He now sat on the window ledge, dangling his feet from it. Hmm... He continued to write notes, coming to the conclusion that nobody would see him since they were all preoccupied with the fight. The moonlight shone on his grey dress, but he ignored it, focusing his wide, grey panda eyes on Grell and Sebastian.

"W-wait... Wait, wait, wait, wait!" the shinigami exclaimed, looking /pissed/. "Who are these people?!"

Sebastian, who was still standing, gave a small choking noise, before smirking at the shinigami, blood dribbling from his mouth. "That's been my everyday life for the past year, after all," he stated, voice slightly hoarse.

"I'm not interested in a domestic Record like this!" Grell hissed, waving his scythe around dramatically. "Come on, show me the good parts!"

The Cinematic Record then disappeared, and Sebastian remained standing, despite his wound.

"I'm afraid I charge admission to view the rest," he then teased the reaper, smirking. He then aimed a kick at Grell, who then leaped backwards.

"Oh no, my clothes are ruined again," Sebastian then nonchalantly remarked. "This is past mending."

"You're pretty confident, worrying about your clothes at a time like this," Grell huffed, holding his scythe readied to lash out again. "But I like a man who's careful about his appearance, Sebas-chan..."

Sebastian then whipped off his coat, expression deadpan. "This is the one technique I didn't want to use..." he then remarked. "But there's no help for it."

"So you're finally going to get serious with me, then~?" Grell chirped, amused, as he revved up his chainsaw again. "Shall we close the curtain on this with the final blow~? Say your farewells to this world.. Let's be joined in the hereafter, Sebas-chan~!"

He then lunged at Sebastian, and Sebastian also lunged. As Grell moved to swing his scythe, Sebastian then swung his coat... effectively jamming the engine on the scythe. They soon then landed back on the roof, with Sebastian standing, and Grell on the ground.

"What?!" the shinigami exclaimed, growling.

"That tailcoat is made of high-quality yorkshire wool," the demon then stated, smirking. "Wool has one of the highest frictional forces of all cloths."

Grell was desperately trying to pull the fabric out, as Sebastian continued to speak. "Once it gets enmeshed in something, it is very difficult to remove."

"WTF?!" Grell exclaimed, speaking in acronym.

"That coat was supplied to me by the estate, and I didn't want to use it," Sebastian then continued, staring down at Grell. "But you had ruined it already, after all."

He then approached the shinigami, pressing a fist into his palm. "Now, in a normal fistfight, I feel a certain amount of confidence."

"W-wait!" Grell then squeaked, backing up. "Please! Not the face!"

Needless to say, Grell got his face beaten in. Sebastian kicked it, punched it, and slammed it into the rooftop numerous times. Grell was, as you could imagine, not a happy camper. He then was punched off of the top of the building, falling the ground below them, followed by a weak little "please stop!" from Grell.

As he was just about to hit the ground, on top of Ciel, Sebastian quickly caught up to him... and kicked him once again, sending him flying and painfully crashing to the ground.

"Please excuse me. I misjudged the distance," Sebastian then commented, staring at Ciel.

"You look awful," Ciel stated, staring back at him with a deadpan expression.

"I had a bit of trouble with him," the butler responded.

"I'll get you for this..." Grell then groaned from his place on the ground. Sebastian then looked to Grell with a smirk.

"Oh, dear. I suppose one can't kill a grim reaper with bare fists," he remarked, approaching him. He then gripped the death scythe, which had also fallen to the ground. "But what about with this?"

Grell was now struggling to get up, as Sebastian continued to approach. "A grim reaper's scythe, which can cut anything..." He then ripped the fabric out from the blades, smriking. "Shouldn't it be able to cut even you~?"

"W-What are you thinking? N-N-No.." Grell protested, staring up at Sebastian with fear in his eyes, as he then turned and tried to escape... only to have Sebastian's foot slammed down on his head.

"I don't enjoy being kicked, but doing the kicking feels rather nice," Sebastian said with a smirk.

"That hurts, Sebas-chan, it hurts, it hurrrts!" Grell whined, struggling to escape.

"Young master, hideous though he may be, he is still a divine being," the demon then stated, looking over his shoulder at Ciel. "Are you prepared to shoulder the heavy crime of killing the divine?"

"Are you trying to make me repeat my order?" Ciel scoffed in response, staring at his butler with a deadpan expression.

"Very good, my lord..." Sebastian chuckled, looking down at Grell's terrified form, who was whining and trying to escape still.

"You scream very nicely," the demon teased, smirking as he started up the scythe. "As a reward, I'll kill you with your favorite toy!"

"Please, stop!" Grell begged, still struggling.

"No," Sebastian bluntly responded, beginning to bring the blade down.

"Don't you want to know who killed his parents?!" Grell then exclaimed, hoping it'd save his life. Ciel's eyes widened at that, but Sebastian quickly brought down the blade... but was intercepted by a long pole, a garden grabber/clipper thing. It was held by a tall man in a suit, with black hair, greenish-yellow eyes, and a pair of glasses, standing on top of a building.

Sebastian and Ciel gawked, turning to look up at him.

"I apologize for interrupting your conversation," the man then stated emotionlessly, retracting his pole-thing. "I am William T. Spears, an administrator at the Grim Reaper Staffing Association." He then pushed up his glasses with his clippers. "I came to take charge of that reaper there."

"Will! William!" Grell then exclaimed, grinning up at him. "So you came to save me!"

His face was then promptly slammed into the ground by William's foot.

"Temp worker Grell Sutcliff, you have violated regulations," the man then stated, looking at a clipboard. "Firstly, you killed people not on the To Die list. "Secondly, you used a death scythe for which a permission form was not filled. And finally, you attempted to leak information about the cause of death and the identity of a murderer."

He then stepped off of Grell, giving a small bow to Sebastian. "I am sorry for all of the trouble this wretch has caused," he then stated. He then handed the demon a card. "Oh, here's my card."

Sebastian took it from the shinigami between two fingers, looking very unamused.

"Really, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to bow my head to a noxious beast like you," William then hissed under his breath. "This is a disgrace to the profession of a grim reaper."

Sebastian stared at him for a moment, before then responding. "Then please keep close watch over your staff," he then said, staring at the shinigami. "So that they don't cause trouble for us 'noxious beasts'."

He then smirked, lowering his head a bit. "Humans are very susceptible to temptation... When they are placed within the Hellish bowels of despair, if a spider's thread appears before them that could get them out, they will cling to it without fail. Any human will."

William then stood up straight, staring at Sebastian with a deadpan expression. "Aren't you demons the ones who take advantage of that to decieve humans and prey upon them?"

"I won't deny it," Sebastian responded with a small smirk.

"Though you seem to be a tame dog with a collar; that at least makes you lesser evil than the unprincipled, rabid dogs," William then stated, turning to his red-haired subordinate. "Come, Grell Sutcliff, we're leaving. Honestly, we're already shorthanded, and now we won't be able to finish during regular hours today, either. The Board is going to scold us again, and we'll have to work more overtime."

And with that, he dragged Grell away by the hair.

"Inshō-tekina pafōmansu. Shikashi... Anata no engi wa, kanari no sagyō o shiyō suru koto ga dekimasu," L then stated, his voice flat and his eyes heavy. He hopped down from the window ledge and stuffed the notepad into his skirt pocket, buttoning it closed. "In case you cannot speak Japanese, I will translate myself. Impressive performance. However... your acting could use quite a bit of work." He adjusted his blonde wig with both hands and smoothed out the ruffles in his grey dress. "I would applaud you, if I were amused enough to do so."

Ciel and Sebastian then quickly whipped their heads around to face L, gawking.

"How long have you been there?!" Ciel exclaimed, glaring. "How.. How much did you see?!"

L put a finger up to his mouth, chewing on it. His expression remained bored. "Hunny, I saw alllll of it," he replied in a Southern belle drawl. "Every sin'le bit of it."

I need to inquire about demons and shinigami... that was rather unexpected.

Both of them scowled, with a dark aura beginning to surround Sebastian, and the demon approached L, eyes menacing.

"So then, you know the true nature of my butler," Ciel stated, eyes narrowed dangerously, the contract seal on his eye clearly visible.

Best to play along.

"Yes. And, if you're initial plan is to kill me, then please re-evaluate. I'm working on the Kira case currently, and... if I don't solve it, you could both easily end up on his list of victims." He glanced down at his finger, which had started to bleed. "Oops." He carefully wiped it on his grey skirt, nearly losing his balance and tripping over literally nothing in the process. "Mmm, corsets are difficult to get used to."

Ciel glared heavily at the man dressed as a woman, and Sebastian did as well.

"You are not to tell a single person," he then hissed, eyes deadly. "Or else... you should understand what would become of you, if you did."

L tilted his head to the side slightly. He once again held up both hands in defense. "That's the second time you have kindly asked me not to tell someone of information regarding you two," he commented. "But who do I know to tell? I walk my path in this world alone, keeping secrets and lying to innocent bystanders. It is how I work, and I do not plan on changing any time soon." He paused. "I was initially here to tell you both information regarding Jack the Ripper, but... that's unnecessary now." He turned and began to walk away. "Perhaps I should tell somebody I met a demon butler, though, and that Mr. Phantomhive dresses as a woman?" That would be hypocritical. I do not plan on doing anything of the sort; I'm curious, however. What will they do to me if they see that there is a suitable threat placed upon their shoulders? Will they attack me, or..?

Sebastian immediately lunged at L, grabbing him by the arms and pressing him up against the wall, eyes flaring red and teeth sharpening.

"You will not tell a soul," he hissed, eyes narrowed threateningly. "Or I and my master will not hesitate to get rid of you, as well as anyone you dare tell."

This was certainly unexpected... but not 'good enough' of a reaction. I will not rest until my curiosity is satisfied.

"Oh? And what leads you to believe that the threat of death will stop me from telling my associates?"

"Then I suppose I will have to dispose of you," Sebastian stated emotionlessly, tossing L over the side of the windowsill they were in, causing him to plummet towards the ground below.

L immediately reacted, grabbing at the wall and hanging from it. He crossed his legs tightly; being a perfectionist, he had of course worn accurate pantaloons... and he did not want that displayed to any possible passerby. His fingers were scratched and bleeding, and it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts together before looking up at the windowsill with wide, grey eyes.

And he was grinning.

"Splendid performance," he commented. "Absolutely splendid! And convincing, as well. Though, if you're aiming to convince me that you really are a demon, then it will take much more than simply throwing me out a windowsill." Go on, then; play your part. You aren't a demon, that much is obvious.

He frowned slightly, his eyelids growing heavy. "Though, I could have died just now. You must be very dedicated to your role."

Sebastian exchanged a glance with Ciel, and the two were thinking the same thing: 'He thinks it's a joke.'

Sebastian then gave a small smile, extending a hand to help L back up. "You're correct," he responded. "It was in fact just a stage performance of sorts. I am not actually a demon... but Madame Red and Grell Sutcliff were in fact Jack the Ripper."

"Well, yes, I know," L replied, accepting the hand gratefully and- once again- smoothing out his grey dress. "May I advise you, though, to please not try and kill people while playing your part? I'm afraid that's not a very wise thing to do." He reached into his pocket, pulling out his notes and carefully looking through them. "Yes," he said quietly, confirming to himself that he had not lost his papers in the fall out the window. "I shall have Watari review these for me later." He paused, glancing up at Sebastian. "Once again, I applaud you for your part. It was very convincing, especially when you and the 'shinigami' were battling on the rooftop. How splendid." He cocked his head to the side. "Are you in the local theatre?"

Sebastian smirked and gave a sweeping bow, looking very amused.

"My apologies, sir, for throwing you off like that," he chuckled. "You see, Ciel down there was going to catch you. And no, we are not in the theater, actually, it's merely a hobby of ours.~"

Ciel stared up at them with a deadpan expression.

L was grinning now. "Oh? I have quite a few eccentric hobbies, myself." He paused, taking mental note of Ciel's expression and Sebastian's lying. A reaper to a sower, demon. "I thank you for giving me a chance to participate in an act such as that; it was amusing, to say the least." Something about this scenario is not adding up. I will review my notes once more when I return to the apartment. "Though... if you plan on acting out that particular scene again, make sure that Ciel is faster than that, or your victims will actually end up deceased."

Sebastian gave a light chuckle at that, straightening. "Again, I apologize- my master will need to practice his speed," he stated, smirking. "Anyway, let's get down from here, shall we~?"

He then scooped L right up bridal style, leaping down from the windowsill, or rather using parkour to make his way down, and when they reached the ground, the demon set the man down. He then stalked over to his master, resting a hand on his face.

"Young master, you're cold as ice," he then said with a light frown. "We should head back... I will make you some hot milk."

"Yes... that would be a good idea..." Ciel murmured, slowly standing up from his sitting position on the ground, but nearly toppling over. He was quickly caught by Sebastian, but the demon was then lightly shoved away. "..I can stand on my own."

And with that, they began to make their way home, with Sebastian lifting Madame Red's body and carrying her with them.

L began walking in the other direction, the pieces of evidence finally adding up. So he IS a demon, after all! But... he's willing to kill a person if they were to find out. If it weren't for my quick thinking, I would surely be dead.

Light, meanwhile, continued to do his work, working towards another trick on L.

The next day soon came, and it was also the day that Madam Red's funeral would occur. Ciel was now currently on his way to the funeral home, carrying a bright red dress with him as he walked, his eyes turned towards the ground.

L was dressed in a black funeral dress, a black tophat on top of his blonde wig. Watari had come to assist him, and was dressed in black Victorian clothing, as well. A black scarf hid his face.

None other than Light Yagami was there, as well. He had simply wanted to attend a funeral, so he had looked up the soonest one and had immediately flown across seas to London. He was getting used to Victorian clothing.

L had not yet learned of Light's involvement in the case and therefore did not recognize him. The man wore three layers of makeup; the only way Ciel and Sebastian could ever identify him would be from either his frown, his unique eye shape, his sharp jawline, or, most notibly, the pad of paper he scribbled notes in different languages on.

The funeral soon started, before Ciel and Sebastian arrived. As the pastor began to speak, everyone listened in silence, grim looks on all of their faces.

And then suddenly, as the pastor was mid-sentence, the large oak doors opened, and none other than Ciel Phantomhive entered, alone. He stalked down the aisle, carrying a bright red dress.

"That's... the Phantomhive boy?" one person quietly whispered.

"A scarlet dress?"

"How improper!"

"But Madame loved the color red.."

Ciel quietly walked up to his deceased aunt's casket, staring down at her solemnly. He then gently draped the red dress over her, bending down over her face, smiling slightly. It was a small, sad smile.

"White flowers and plain dresses don't suit you.." the boy murmured. He then reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a bright red flower. "...What suits you is a passionate red." He gently laid the flower in her hair. "The color of spider lilies blazing in the fields... Aunt An."

He then bent his face down, lightly touching his nose to hers. As he held that position, red petals then filtered through the building, coming from a little cart just outside, with Sebastian and Undertaker standing beside it.

Ciel soon pulled away, staring down mournfully at the red-haired woman. "...Sleep well," he then murmured, standing. "...Madame Red."

L and Watari both respectfully bowed their heads. L was not amused by the performance. How bland. He tries to peacefully lay her to rest, but he fails... horribly.

The funeral was soon over, and Ciel and Sebastian were now in the graveyard, with Undertaker beside them. They stood beside a grave, which Ciel merely stared down at.

"This is..." he murmured, eyes lightly downcast. Undertaker gave a tiny grin.

"My final customer from the Jack the Ripper murders," the scarred man confirmed.

"Apparently she was an immigrant..." Ciel stated quietly. "They couldn't find anyone to claim her body."

"So the kindhearted Earl here hired me to pretty her up," Undertaker chuckled, lightly poking Ciel's face. "And even erected this gravestone for her."

"I'm not kindhearted," Ciel responded plainly. "If I had given her life first priority that night, there would have been plenty of ways to save her. But instead, I prioritized catching Jack the Ripper. I knew she wouldn't be saved. I knew, and I let her die... My own flesh and blood..."

"Are you having regrets?" Undertaker then questioned, bending down over Ciel.

"No. Jack the Ripper is gone, and Her Majesty's anxieties are resolved," the boy responded quietly.

"Victoria, eh?" Undertaker snorted. "I don't like her... She forces all the misery on you, while she just sits back and watches."

"This is my family's lot in life," Ciel responded, raising his thumb, with his ring on it, towards his face. "It's been passed down for generations with this ring."

"That ring is like a dog collar," Undertaker remarked. "It connects you to the Queen by the chains of 'fate'."

"I'm the one who chose this!" Ciel then snapped, shoving the older man away. Undertaker then grabbed Ciel's tie, pulling his face close.

"I pray you're never hung by that collar," he then stated, eyes narrowed. He then let go, and Ciel fell back against Sebastian. "That would be so /boring/."

He then began to stalk away. "Come by the shop whenever you need something. You and your butler are always welcome."

L was, as usual, watching and taking notes. He was now in a tree, leaning against the main trunk and tucking his feet up in his normal position. He wrote quickly and quietly, observing with wide, grey eyes. I like Undertaker. He seems intelligent enough.

There was no mistaking it now: L suspected Ciel of being Kira, but for which reason he could not tell. He had taken to watching the boy (as well as the Task Force's families) and was constantly writing down everything he saw. I don't normally take notes physically, but I have no choice; measures must be taken in order to solve this case.

Night soon came, and they remained in the graveyard.

"You are kindhearted," Sebastian then suddenly commented, glancing over at Ciel.

"Don't make me repeat myself, I'm not kind-"

"Yes, you are kindhearted.. If you aren't, perhaps that means you're weak."

Ciel turned to glare lightly at Sebastian. "Why, you!"

"Why didn't you shoot?" Sebastian then questioned, gaze hard. "'I let my own flesh and blood die'? I take a dim view of lies, you know. If you had wanted to shoot her, then you could have. But you wavered, and even when I urged you, you refused to draw your gun. Why? Were you afraid to kill Madame Red yourself? Do you mean to tell me you can kill a stranger, but not your own kin? Because it was your job."

"I thought you would protect me even at the cost of your own life," Ciel then responded in deadpan. "That's why I didn't shoot. Our contract demands that you serve me, that you protect me and do not kill me until my goal is achieved. I imagine a demon has no 'principles' or 'loyalty'... All you have is aesthetics. And so for the sake of your own aesthetics, you will protect me no matter what. Am I wrong?"

"Why did you stop me then?" Sebastian questioned, tilting his head.

"There was hesitation in her eyes as she moved to kill me," Ciel responded. "I thought she wouldn't be able to kill me... her own kin. One wrong move costs a person her life... it's just like chess. She hesitated and lost sight of her next move. That's all there is to it."

He then turned, and began to walk away. "So I won't hesitate."

Sebastian's eyes widened at that, and he turned to look at Ciel, with a small grin forming on his face. "That's what I like to hear. Always skillfully manipulate your chess pieces, and survive. Use me, and Madame Red, and any pieces within your reach. Even if the bodies of your pawns pile up at the foot of your throne... because if the king falls, this game is over."

"I won't stop moving, and I won't regret the steps I've taken," Ciel murmured. "So this is an order..."

He then turned around, facing Sebastian. "You are the one man who must not betray me. Don't leave my side. Ever."

Sebastian gave a small smile, giving a sweeping bow and kneeling down before the boy. "Yes, my lord."

/I will accompany you anywhere you wish me to./

They then both stood, and began to walk off.

/Even if your throne crumbles, and your radiant crown rots, and a mountain of bodies pile up... I shall stay beside your small form as you lie atop your fallen pawns... Until I hear the final call./

L finally jumped down from the tree, falling head over heels as he did so.

"Mmm, that hurt a lot." He stood, holding his head and turning his grey eyes to stare at Ciel and Sebastian. "You two never fail to surprise me. But, I suppose, that's how a chess game works; the goal is to surprise the other person with bold moves, and then to take their king." He paused, a frown coming to his face. "...I actually don't really know how to play chess, so disregard what I just said."

Ciel gave an annoyed sigh and turned to face L with a deadpan expression. "You're following us /again?/" he huffed, rolling his eyes. "Get a hobby. Your stalking us is starting to get creepy."

"But this is my hobby," L replied, his expression slightly sad and slightly shocked. "You know very well that I am working on the Kira murder cases. I just so happen to suspect you and your demon butler." He frowned. "I have every right to follow you until I receive proof of your innocence. Also, before you say it-" He held up a hand- "I do not plan on releasing the fact that I suspect you to anybody, for any reason. Nor do I plan on releasing the fact that your butler is a supernatural being, or that you once dressed as a woman for a ball. As I said previously, I have no reason to, nor is it in my personal interest to do so." He began chewing on his nails. "Your performance at the burial was mediocre, at best; am I correct in suspecting that you did, in fact, care for Madame Red in some way?"

"So you do actually believe he's a demon?" Ciel huffed, turning his gaze away for a moment. "...Hmph. For one, I am most certainly not Kira. For two... Yes, of course I cared for Madame Red. She was my aunt."

"Even though she tried to kill you," L stated plainly. Simply denying something doesn't make it 100% true, Ciel Phantomhive. Kira is childish, and hates losing; he also must hold himself above others.

Ciel averted his gaze for a moment. "Yes. I will not lie. Although she tried to kill me, I do still care a bit about her. Now, please, do not scold me on that, I am not in the mood."

L held up his hands in defense. "I prefer to call it constructive criticism.. but if you do not want it, then I will not offer it."

You appear to think of yourself as hierarchical over others... which likely means that there's a 30% chance of you being Kira. However, you do not appear to judge others, and you have far too many flaws to be hiding something like mass murder. Perhaps... perhaps I'm wrong.

"Perhaps we can meet for tea tomorrow? It's getting awfully late, and I have several other suspects to follow," L said, faking a yawn. "Don't think of yourself as special; I'm a well-known lady around here." He began to walk away, trying very hard not to trip in his boots. "Thank you for the pleasant talk."

Ciel gave a small nod. "Alright, just drop by the townhouse... and please, dress as something other than a woman."

And with that, he and Sebastian also left.


	2. Japanese Demons are Horrifying

**Chapter 2**

The next morning, L dressed in his regular clothes. He had failed to make himself a mug of coffee and was incredibly sleepy. Any and all efforts of being cautious were forgotten as he slowly made his way towards the townhouse. His hands were stuffed inside his jeans pockets; his bare feet were crammed inside tattered, undersized red sneakers.

Finally, he reached the building without attracting too much attention. He entered, his grey eyes dull.

Ciel and Sebastian were currently awake, lounging in the living room-like area. They would be returning home to the Phantomhive Estate later that day.

L entered the living room, not bothering to announce his presence. He took a seat in one of the chair, crawling onto it and putting his feet up. He took off his sneakers, rubbing his bare feet together as he took out a pen and a pad of paper.

It clicked in his brain that he had forgotten to wear Victorian clothes; This must be confusing to them. He took no mind of it, however, and waited patiently for the boy and his butler to acknowledge his presence.

Ciel glanced over at the man that had just entered, blinking at his strange clothes, but he didn't comment.

"Hello, L," the boy greeted, tilting his head.

"Ryuzaki," L corrected, forgetting his manners. "Otherwise I'll be dragged into an alleyway and beaten to death with sticks." He wrote down a few words on his pad of paper. "Good morning. Now, please relay to me the details of the Jack the Ripper case- from the beginning."

And then Ciel and Sebastian explained everything, which I'm too lazy to type it all.

L wrote down everything in explicit detail before nodding slowly. "Mmm, makes sense. Ciel, do you have any.. sweets?" I need them to think.

Ciel nodded, sending a glance at Sebastian. "Sebastian, please get us both some cake, will you?"

Sebastian gave a small bow, followed by a "yes, my lord", and left the room.

He returned a few moments later, carrying a chocolate cake, and set it on the coffee table, cutting a slice for the both of them and then handing it to them.

L grinned broadly at the cake. "So explicit... so.. delicious." He accepted the slice and began shoveling it into his mouth, remembering his manners at the last minute and wiping his mouth. "Thank you for the details, Ciel. Now.. may I ask some questions regarding the Kira case?"

"Go ahead," Ciel responded. "But I likely won't be able to give much information, as I haven't been working that case."

"And that's a good thing. This is my case." L was a little protective of the work he was doing. He flipped to a new page and glanced up at Ciel. "If you were Kira, and you were facing discovery, what would you do?"

"I'm not Kira, so I wouldn't know," Ciel responded, expression deadpan. "I think it's stupid to just go around killing multiple people for no real reason. Honestly, a common thief doesn't deserve death... but I'm sure Kira thinks much differently than I do."

L pushed his thumb all the way into his mouth, his expression darkening. "I think there is a god complex at hand," he murmured quietly. "This is not the work of a stupid person. This is the work of a childish, pitiful human being who is trying to be a god. This person is trying very hard to become an entity which they know they cannot replicate. They do not seem able to decipher the difference between true evil and true good; instead, they work solely off of whim." His grey eyes lowered to his bare feet. "If I were Kira, I would not be so sloppy with my work." He paused. "I also would not be murdering criminals. I do that anyway; but, I only murder criminals who have done far worse than anything these victims have done."

Perhaps 'murder' wasn't the best terminology; I send them to the electric chair. I'm trying to evoke a reaction, however; Ciel, how do you react to the thought of my murdering people?

"I am the same way," Ciel responded, with a tiny smirk. He basically just confessed that he murdered the criminals he was sent by the Queen to handle. "I wouldn't kill a smaller-scale criminal such as a common thief, but I'd have nothing against the death of a larger-scale criminal who has done far worse."

L was a little taken aback by that. "...I was trying to evoke a reaction," he said quietly. "This isn't confession, Mr. Phantomhive. It is a serious situation." L glanced at his notes and quickly scribbled 'murderer' next to Ciel's name.

Ciel shrugged at that. "You already know that I'm a screwed-up kid with a demon butler," he stated plainly. "Do you really think I'd react badly to someone who says they kill serious criminals? That's what I do, and it's well-known. My job is to alleviate the Queen's worries, to dispel those who cause havoc. When she commands me to solve a case and 'get rid' of the criminal, that is exactly what I will do. Everyone knows good and well that when the guard dog goes sniffing out a case, someone disappears."

He smirked at that. "But I'll tell you now, I do have a sense of justice and I would never kill a lesser criminal such as a simple thief or small lawbreaker. No, I only kill the worse ones, the ones who murder, rape, abuse. I would never kill anyone if they are not deserving of it."

And yet you threatened to kill me. How polite.

"Yes; you are a very screwed up kid. But, aren't we all?" L then began scribbling down notes again. "If you were Kira, why do you think you would want to kill lesser criminals?" We are coming closer to a confession from you, Ciel. Very close.

"I wouldn't," he stated plainly. "The only time I'd ever kill someone that is that small of a criminal, would be if they had somehow discovered my butler's identity- which, if reported, could land in a witch hunt of sorts against me. It's a protection of my own life, and my butler's... which is in your case, why I threatened you with death. I'd rather not be chased in a witch hunt and burned at the stake."

"A secret for a secret, then," L replied, extending a hand to shake. "You know my identity; I know that your butler is a demon. You see.. if people were to find out that I was L, it would be a catastrophe. I have solved too many criminal cases to be safe." He paused. "I suppose you don't know much about me. Let's keep it that way. Though... a little tip towards who I am will strengthen the deal." His expression returned to its bored state. "If I were to sit normally, my deduction skills would lower by roughly 40%. And, knowing this, you could easily point me out to somebody should I fail to keep your secret."

Ciel gave a small smirk at that, taking the man's hand and shaking it. "It's a deal, then. You don't tell anyone about Sebastian, and I won't tell anyone about you."

"Well, now that we sorted that out..." L climbed down from the chair, stuffing the papers into his back pocket. "I look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Phantomhive. It may be sooner than you think." And with that, he left the townhouse, headed back towards his apartment. One more day, Ciel. I'm scheduled to leave England tomorrow morning. One more day...

A few hours soon passed, and Ciel and Sebastian now boarded a carriage, and headed back to the Phantomhive manor.

By the time they arrived, they were quickly greeted by the three servants, Mey-Rin, Bard, and Finny, who began tightly hugging him and trying to 'comfort' him from Madame Red's death, which they'd heard about... even though Ciel didn't need their 'comfort' and eventually just shoved them away, entering the mansion with Sebastian beside him.

L walked into his apartment silently, beginning to pack up his equipment. "Watari, please take over for me. I'm going out again," he said quietly, putting in blue contacts and shoving his black hair into a white wig. He then began to dress himself in a flowing, pink ballgown, putting on knee-high boots as he did so, as well as white elbow-length gloves. "I'm going undercover again."

He picked up a paisley blue umbrella from his costumes drawer and opened it above his head before applying heavy makeup to his face. His disguise would be undetectable, hopefully. He added an unnecessary skip to his walk, a broad smile on his face.

Cheerful young woman. Cheerful.. young.. woman. If I were Kira, then how would I respond to being assaulted?...

The people in the Phantomhive househeold merely remained in their house doing Kuroshitsuji stuff.

L walked quietly down the street, a headset and camera hidden underneath his wig.

It didn't take long before he was targeted by a group of angry-looking people, men and women both. They grabbed him, covered his mouth, and dragged him into an alleyway, where they proceeded to snatch his purse and run.

L's expression darkened but he stayed exactly where he was, pulling a cellphone from his pocket and dialing Watari's number.

"Watari? I succeeded. I'm on my way to the Phantomhive manor now; please stay in contact."

The old man on the other line nodded, and L hung up the phone, sticking it back into his skirt pocket. I hate cellphones. The world would be much better without them. He began walking quickly towards the manor, carrying with him a new scenario to present to Ciel.

Say you were dragged into an alleyway and had your bag stolen. How would you react? I know the correct answer, now that it has happened to me, but... what do you think?

And the Kuroshitsuji characters continued to do Kuroshitsuji things.

L finally arrived at the manor. He paused, adjusting his wig, and then walked right through the door without knocking.

When L entered the door, Finny was instantly on alert, and quickly dashed over to confront the man, in a fighting stance.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" he asked, voice low and threatening. "You came in through the wrong door, and didn't even knock."

"Oh, dear," L replied, voice disguised as a woman's. "I- I'm terribly sorry! I must be confused..."

Finny backed off a slight bit, straightening up, face softening.

"Oh, okay... Um, may I still ask, why are you here?" he then questioned, cocking his head to the side. "The young master isn't expecting visitors..."

"Young master? I'm afraid I don't understand.. oh, yes, that's right! I wanted to speak to Mr. Phantomhive about something, but I can't remember what for the life of me.."

Cut the act and bring me to Ciel, peasant. I'm a feeble woman suffering from amnesia; can't you tell?

Finny frowned at that, quirking a brow. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to leave until you can remember, we don't allow visitors without being informed of them beforehand, unless they're someone we or the young master knows well. I can't let you pass, those are my orders."

"The young master knows me very well," L replied. "Ask and he will tell you as much."

Finny gave a sigh, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Alright, alright, hold on."

He then began to call out. "Hey! Mey-Rin! Can you c'mere for a sec?"

A moment later, a maid with russet hair and large glasses arrived in the room. "Eh? What is it, Finny?"

"This lady here claims to know the young master, and wants to see him. But of course, we can't just go off of her word... could you go get the young master and get him down here?"

Mey-Rin gave a nod. "Will do, yes!"

And she then went up the stairs, soon coming down a few moments later with Ciel, who stared at L with a deadpan expression.

L quickly took out his contacts, meeting Ciel's gaze with a stare that said everything: I'm not done with you yet. He put them back in before anyone could say anything, however, and once again spoke.

"Ah, yes! I remember now. Something to do with a chess tournament, or.. something like that."

Ciel continued to stare at L with a deadpan expression.

"My servants wouldn't protest if you simply told them you're here to inform me of something," he then sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Honestly, Ryuzaki... you don't need to pretend you're a little helpless woman coming for a chess tournament."

He then turned his back, heading up the stairs. "Just, come on. I haven't got all day, I have work to do."

L shrugged. "I told you, Mr. Phantomhive, I have to be very, very careful when I meet strangers... or anyone, for that matter." He pulled his wig off and stripped back down to his normal clothing, which he had been wearing underneath the dress. He piled the stuff in the corner and kicked off his boots before shoving his hands in his jean pockets and following Ciel. "And, I'll have you know, I am not here to inform you of anything; I am here to question you further."

Ciel gave an annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes, entering his study and sitting in his chair, leaning back in it.

"So, what do you want?" he huffed, looking aggravated. "Honestly, I don't have time for your random questioning, I'm not Kira and I don't know why you'd even think I am. Criminals have been killed even during times you're stalking me, there's no way I could've done it."

L's face fell. "...oh. I see. Your argument is certainly valid." He turned, beginning to walk away. "I suppose I simply like being in the company of someone whose intellect is on par with my own. It's difficult, being the smartest person on the planet; it gets lonely."

Ciel sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, fine- you can stay. If that's your reasoning, then I dislike your presence less than if you were only here to bother me with Kira accusations."

L stopped in his tracks, frowning. "Oh, I don't want to be a bother," he replied casually, holding a hand out to his side. "Unless you're really Kira, in which case I will bother you to the extent of revealing who you really are. But... there's a .5% chance of you being Kira. Very low. I do like your presence, Ciel, and I dislike admitting that." Fess up.

"I'm not Kira," Ciel stated simply, looking annoyed. "Look, if you're here because you like being in the presence of someone with your intellect, then feel free to stay. But if your only reason to be here is to accuse me of false things, then get out. I'm not Kira, nor do I support him in any way."

"Do you have sweets?" L responded simply.

"Yes."

"And do you have coffee?"

"Yes."

"And do you mind my presence in general?"

"No."

"Do you mind if I set up here to continue working on my cases? You have a very nice home, much nicer than my apartment."

"..." Ciel just stared at him with a deadpan expression. "...Fine."

"Thank you." L whipped around, grabbing a chair and tossing it half-heartedly into a corner before leaving. "I'll return shortly!"

About half an hour later, he returned, carrying a bunch of equipment and technology. He set himself up in the corner and immediately began working, scrolling through leads and communicating through the voice scrambler. He did not care that the technology was far advanced from Victorian London; I'm working in the company of an intellectual being. This is better than being with Watari.

Ciel ignored the man setting up office in his home, and simply continued doing his own paperwork.

L continued to do his work, watching surveillance videos. He then turned to look at Ciel, a grin on his face.

"Hey, Ciel! Come look at this. This is cool!"

How are you going to react to this, Kira? A simple cat video with bright colors. What will you think about this?

Ciel sighed in annoyance and stood, stalking over to L with a deadpan expression. "What is it?"

"Cats!~"

Ciel just stared at the screen, looking annoyed. "I hate cats. I'm allergic. Show it to Sebastian instead."

"Hey, Sebastian! Come look at this. This is cool!~" L maintained his perky tone, though he was intensely calculating his results on the inside. You hate cats, hmm? Cats are mammals. Do you hate all mammals?

Sebastian then walked over, staring intensely at the screen. His eyes were incredibly focused, his face flushing slightly. His face showed clear adoration for the fluffy little animals on the screen.

L observed this with wide, grey eyes. He stared up at Sebastian, intently chewing on his thumb. Maybe you could be Kira instead. Cats dislike humans; you like cats. Perhaps you're on their side?...

"So soft... So sinfully adorable... Precious creatures..."

"Mmm, yes, cats are lovely creatures." He clicked out of the video and then switched back to his surveillance cameras. Working on multiple cases is my hobby. Not my profession. I am a multi-tasker. He was convincing himself of this, and finally glanced back over to Ciel. Okay. 0% chance of you being Kira. You have far too many flaws. But... you have a very nice house. "Mr. Phantomhive, I thank you for your hospitality, but I'm afraid I have to leave now."

He began packing up his equipment, and immediately left without another word. He grabbed his undercover costume at the last minute and left not a single trace of himself.

Soon, he was boarding a direct flight to Japan with Watari.

And the Kuro characters did Kuro things.

A few days passed.

Soichiro spoke. "All right. Let's start with the tip line reports."

One of the officers nodded. "Yes, sir. Up to this point we've received three thousand twenty-nine responses about the murders via telephone and e-mail. Most of these have been curious citizens and prank calls, but there are fourteen people who claimed to either know Kira or who have seen him. All fourteen accounts were followed up on and carefully documented. However, nobody could provide any information that wasn't already publicly available. And lastly, this week there were additional twenty-one people who called in claiming to be Kira . We didn't wanna rule anything out. So we followed standard procedure and created files for all twenty-one of them."

"Uh huh. All right. On to the victim reports."

"Yes, sir. Upon further investigation, we have confirmed that information of the heart attack victims was in fact publicly available in Japan immediately prior to their deaths. Also, concerning L's request that we investigate the time of death of each victim, we found that all of them occurred between the hours of 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. on week days, local time, with sixty-eight percent of them occurring between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. Weekends and holidays appeared to be the exception to this rule as the times of deaths vary much more widely than during the week."

L spoke into his voice scrambler. "That information is extremely relevant for us. It suggests that, given the times of death, our suspect could very well be a student. Based on the fact that Kira is only killing criminals, I think it's safe to assume that he is driven by a very idealistic notion of justice. It's highly possible he may even aspire to be some sort of godlike figure. We're dealing with the individual who has a very childish concept of right and wrong. Of course, this is mere speculation at this point, but still I recommend you re-examine any assumptions you've made as to whether or not our suspect could be a student. We must consider every possibility. I believe that's the shortest route to finding and arresting Kira. Please, continue with your report."

Soichiro glanced down at his papers. "Hm. Oh right. Does anyone else have something they'd like to add?"

"Um, yes sir."

"What is it, Matsuda?"

Matsuda was nervous. "Um. well I'm not saying this to support Kira or to condone the murders, but in the last few days throughout the world, but especially here in Japan, we've observed the dramatic decrease in the number of violent crimes committed."

"Well, I suppose it makes sense. We've suspected something like that would happen. Anything else?"

"No."

"Well, that about sums up our report for today. L?"

L once again spoke. "Thank you everyone. I feel we're one step closer to finding Kira. Before I go, I'm afraid I have one additional request to make. This is directed to the teams investigating the victims, TV news, and internet, I would like you to go back and take a closer look at the exact way in which the victims' identities were made public. Be as thorough as possible. In particular, I want to know if photos of the victims were made available to the public in Japan. I'll leave it to you."

Sayu, Light's sister, spoke. "I knew I can count on you, Light."

Light smiled. "Hey, so do you think you're ready to try a few on your own now?"

"Huh? Yeah. I guess so. Oh, sounds like Dad's home. He's home really early today."

"Hey, why don't you at least try the last problem by yourself?"

"I will, but maybe after dinner."

"Yeah, right."

Sayu exited his room, leaving Light and Ryuk alone.

"Helping your sister with her homework, you sure are relaxed."

Light leaned back in his chair. "Of course. If the police try to come after me, I'm pretty confident I've got something that'll give me the advantage."

Light smiled. "Hey, glad you can join us for dinner. You hungry, Dad?"

Soichiro nodded. "Yeah. It's been a long day. So, Light, tell me, how are your studies going?"

"Hm? Everything's okay, I guess."

Sayu smirked. "Whatever. He's at the top of his class. My big brother is a genius."

Sachiko, Light's mother, smiled. "That's my son. We're all proud of you, Light."

Light glanced towards Soichiro. "Is everything okay, Dad? You look tired."

"Yeah. I'm not able to say too much about it, but this case I'm working on now is really tough."

Ryuk smirked. "I see. Well, well. Daddy's a policeman. And that must be the reason why you're so confident?"

Light nodded. "That's right. It's easy for me to hack into Dad's computer. We're on a home network, so I can copy the files I need without leaving a trace. This way, I can keep track of their investigation. Here we go. Well, isn't that interesting? Looks like the police are already beginning to suspect a student."

Ryuk laughed. "I guess that means you are in trouble."

"If the cause of death is written within forty seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen. If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack. After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next six minutes and forty seconds. That sound right to you, Ryuk?"

Ryuk tilted his head. "So what's your point?"

"In other words, if I write heart attacks as the cause of death, then I should be able to write down all the details including time of death afterward, shouldn't I? Looks like I will be able to provide you with more entertainment now."

An inmate grunted, his eyes widening. The officer glanced at him. "Inmate 148, what's wrong? Snap out of it!"

Soichiro frowned. "What? I-I don't believe this. Another twenty-three victims yesterday? Are these confirmed?"

"Yes."

"The day before there were another twenty-three victims. He's killing one-off, every hour on the hour." Soichiro's voice was stressed.

"Considering that this new pattern has been going on for two weekdays..."

Another officer nodded. "It does punch some holes in the theory that our suspect is a student."

"Maybe not. Anybody can skip two days of school."

L piped up, surprising all three of the officers. "You're missing the point."

Soichiro glanced at the laptop. "Huh?"

"It does appear less likely now that Kira is a student, but that's not the message he's sending by doing this. Ask yourselves, why every hour? And why are all these victims in prisons where they should be discovered immediately? Why not other criminals like before? I believe Kira is telling us that not only can he kill from a distance, but he can also determine the time of death. But something's not right. As soon as we began to suspect that Kira might be a student, the pacing of the killings changed. As if to contradict that theory. Coincidence? No. Too convenient. This can only mean that Kira has access to police information. It's obvious now. This is a direct challenge to me."

Light smirked. "I'd say L is probably starting to sweat a little by now. What'll really make his job difficult is that I've deliberately left about fifty criminals alive for times like this."

Ryuk smiled. "Oh?"

Light smiled. "If L is as good as they say, by now he should be starting to suspect someone with connections to the police."

L was in very deep thought. So Kira has found a way to obtain information from the Task Force headquarters. This is one fact that cannot be ignored. But what does he get out of all this? What is he hoping to achieve in the end?

Ryuk explained the shinigami eyes to Light, who refused. The investigation continued in its usual manner: L finding things out, and Light countering what he thought to be L's reasoning.

Ciel and Sebastian had now been given an order from the Queen to work on the Kira case, and so now traveled to Japan. News of their arrival spread quickly, that the Queen's guard dog has come to work on a case. The two of them were now in an apartment building, quite close to where L and the task force worked.

L, of course, had quickly learned of their arrival, and decided that he needed some time to relax. I like poking fun at people's inability to respect cultures. He quickly wrote down an old Japanese superstition and left.

He approached the apartment they were in and entered, asking for Ciel and Sebastian in fluent Japanese.

"シエルとセバスチャンがありますか?" Shieru to Sebasuchan ga arimasu ka? Are Ciel and Sebastian available?

The apartment complex's front desk lady helper person thing nodded. "彼らは、ルーム476内にある." Karera wa, rūmu 476-nai ni aru. They are in Room 476.

L thanked her quietly and headed up to the apartment building, a smirk on his face. I still think you're Kira, Ciel, and frankly, I'd like to see you pissed off for once.

Ciel was currently speaking with Sebastian in the living room about how the hell they were supposed to solve the case without any real information or police access.

L heard the heated voices on the other side and opened the door. It was unlocked, but he hadn't been expecting it to be; he tumbled into the room, smashing into the carpeted ground with a loud thud. He stood, rubbing his hand with a hand. "Mmmm... that hurt. A lot."

Ciel sighed and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, annoyed. "Ugh, you again... don't you know how to knock?"

L glanced down at his normal attire but shrugged off Ciel's comment. He then glanced around the room, a frown on his face.

"This is certainly not nearly as nice as I expected it to be, but... whatever works for you, I suppose." He then took a seat on the couch, kicking off his red sneakers and putting his feet up. "So.. why are you here? Japan is a strange place, Mr. Phantomhive, and quite frankly I do not think you are ready for it." It's far more advanced than London.

"As the Queen's watchdog, it's my job to solve any case that she wishes of me," Ciel responded plainly. "And she has finally sent me on the trail of Kira... so we'll either be working together on this, or seperately. I don't care either way."

L leaped to his feet at that, immediately rushing to the window and locking it. He pulled the curtains shut over it and moved to the door, slamming it shut and locking it. He turned off the lights and instinctually was able to find the security camera in the corner; he tore into the wall, ripping it out and snapping any wires he found. He turned the lights back on and sat back down next to Ciel, a bead of sweat on his forehead. Go on then. Ask why I did all of that.

Ciel rolled his eyes as the man did that, quickly picking up on his reasoning. "Oh, yeah, right. You don't want people to know who you are, I get it," he stated plainly, staring at L with a deadpan expression. "Sorry, I should have been more vague in my words, I wasn't thinking of those camera things; You see, we don't have those in London."

L glared intently at the wall, holding his knees tightly with his hands. "That's incorrect," he replied. "It is for your own personal safety. If Kira's supporters find that you are working against him, or that I am working against him, well, Mr. Phantomhive, expect to be lynched publicly." He glanced at Ciel, his expression darkening. "I simply came by to say hello... and also to warn you of the red room."

Ciel cocked his head to the side, blinking. "Red hand?" he questioned, looking curious. "Please, explain."

L waved it off with his hand. "I will only explain if you promise me that you will never repeat what you hear, ever, for no matter the reason."

"You have my word," Ciel responded, staring at L with a deadpan expression. "I will not tell anyone, except for possibly my servants, but only if you give the okay for that. Otherwise, I and Sebastian will keep silent."

L nodded and began reciting the legend, copying word for word from Wikipedia- the website from which he had memorized it.

"Two friends discuss a rumor about an Internet pop-up ad that asks "Do you like —?" (あなたは—好きですか？ Anata wa—suki desu ka?). If someone closes the pop-up, the person dies. The more skeptical friend does some investigation. At home, he researches it online but is unable to find anything about the site online. After he ends his search and begins looking at his usual websites, the message pops up, with a childlike voice asking: "Do you like —?"

Even after he closes the pop up, it keeps re-appearing, repeatedly asking 'Do you like-?'. It then starts automatically reloading and the girl's voice becomes mangled till the boy eventually notices the question changed to 'Do you like red?'. The boy keeps clicking off the pop-up until a new part of the message is revealed, finally asking the completed question in a normal childs voice" "Do you like the red room?" (あなたは赤い部屋が好きですか？ Anata wa akai heya ga suki desu ka?). Then a website with a list of names appears, with the boy's friend at the bottom. The boy becomes aware of something behind him.

The next day, there is rumour and gossip at a school about two students who committed suicide, painting their rooms red with their own blood. Then, the protagonist's computer is displayed, with the protagonist's name at the bottom of the list. It then shuts off, along with an eerie sound.

After the video ends, if the user's browser has not disabled pop-ups, a pop-up resembling the ad from the story will appear."

He glanced towards Ciel. "I have more," he said flatly. "More urban legends, I mean. And I think you should know of them; if demons exist, then surely these do, as well."

Ciel just stared blankly at him. "...Okay. Well. Sounds like Japan really is a fucked up place."

"Yep," Sebastian remarked, also deadpan.

L smirked. "It's getting late," he replied. "Would you be interested in taking a walk with me?" If you think that that was f**ed up... wait until you see this.

Ciel thought for a moment, and then finally stood. "Alright, I guess we can go for a walk... I'm bored, anyway."

L nodded and quietly led the way outside, stuffing his hands into his pockets. There was a knowing smile on his face and a glint to his eyes.

Even L Lawliet, the world-renowned detective who had solved thousands of criminal cases, was not above pranking an innocent 12-year-old and his butler.

He walked outside, holding the door open for the two and closing it behind them. His smile widened as the sun set, and he began walking towards a certain street. This will only work there. Come along now, Mr. Phantomhive. We are going to have fun. I know the answers to the questions; all you need to do is be silent.

Ciel and Sebastian merely followed behind L, neither of them speaking.

They finally reached the street. It was dark, and isolated; wooden fences bordered it, blocking off people's backyards. L began walking down the empty street, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Come along, then; we don't want to miss her. And, butler, please keep yourself under control; nobody will be harmed tonight." This is going to make me laugh. I hate laughing, but... it will make me laugh.

Ciel quirked a brow at that. "Her? Ryuzaki, what are you going on about?"

L ignored Ciel, instead grabbing his hand and shoving him ahead of him. "You'll see," he replied, smiling slyly. "Kuchisaka-onna! Are you here?"

As if on cue, a woman in a long, brown trenchcoat began approaching the three men. She wore a surgical mask and stopped right in front of Ciel.

"Am I pretty?" she asked, her voice quiet. L watched, his hand hovering over Ciel's. He, of course, knew what would happen if the boy answered incorrectly, and knew in advance how to avoid anyone from dying.

Yes, Slit-mouthed Woman. You look very pretty tonight.

The ghostly woman stared at Ciel, unblinking. Her silver eyes were abnormally small, and circular. She had an aura of evil surrounding her.

Ciel stared at her, eye twitching. Sebastian was tense, growling lowly, with his eyes flaring red. He could definitely sense evil in that woman, and he would be sure to protect his master from her at all costs.

"Who is that, Ryuzaki?" the demon then questioned, eyes narrowed to slits.

"This," L replied, "is Kuchisake-onna. Hi, Kuchisake-onna! How ya doin' tonite?"

The woman kept her cold stare fixed on Ciel. "Am I pretty?" she asked again, her voice monotone. The surgical mask seemed to glow unnaturally on her face.

L piped in before Ciel could answer. "Yes," he replied for the boy, throwing his voice to make it sound as though it came from Ciel.

The woman backed away a few steps, pulling the surgical mask down to her neck to reveal a horrific Glasgow smile.

"Am I pretty now?"

"Actually," L said, stepping in front of Ciel, "I have a question for you."

The woman cocked her head.

"Am I pretty?" he asked, pointing towards himself. The woman stared blankly at him for a few moments before turning around and walking away. Her walk was crooked, as though her legs were broken, and she disappeared into the ground.

L bowed his head. "She never answers," he complained in a deadpan voice. "Am I really that revolting?"

Ciel just stared with a very disturbed look on his face. "What the /fuck/ just happened?"

L glanced behind his shoulder at Ciel, grinning darkly. "There's plenty more where that came from," he said quietly. "If you're curious, of course.. we can always go to-"

His grey eyes widened in horror and he whipped around, staring at the end of the alleyway. Something was moving towards them at a very fast rate of speed.

"No-"

It made a 'teke teke' sound as it dragged itself along the ground. It revealed itself to be a schoolgirl.. cut in half at the waist, and chasing them by running on her elbows.

"Out! Now! Go!" L ushered Sebastian and Ciel out of the alley and whipped back around.

"I see you," she hissed, leaping at L. The man ducked, and she hit one of the fences with a thud. She whipped back around, producing a scythe from her shirt. "I want you!"

L's grey eyes showed absolute horror. "Bata Bata! Girl Who Runs On Her Elbows! Watashi wa jigoku ni anata o okuru!"

The girl froze and began turning into a liquid. She melted into the ground, and L joined Ciel and Sebastian.

"Want to see any more? That-" he pointed- "was unexpected, so please do not blame me for it. The other ones that I know of are harmless, if I do the conversing. Are you even slightly curious?"

"We're going back," Ciel hissed, pressing himself against Sebastian. "/Now./ I swear, I refuse to go outside at night in Japan after this."

L cocked his head to side. "Oh? Pity; these things are here in the day, as well. If you're scared... don't be. They can all easily be avoided. Easily." He pointed back down the alleyway. "Except for Teke Teke. Avoid her. If you encounter her, she'll rip your torso in half. Tell her, 'Watashi wa jigoku ni anata o okuru.' She'll disappear after that." A glint returned to his grey eyes. Without another word, he began to walk away. "Follow me; you look like you could use some time to relax."

Ciel kept himself pressed as up against Sebastian, and the two of them followed after L. Ciel did not look like a very happy camper, but instead like an angry and scared kid clinging to his parent.

L stopped, turning his head to stare at a rather attractive woman who passed. She was wearing a long, cherry-blossom patterned kimono, along with light pink leggings and white socks/sandals.

To everyone else passing by, it looked like L was staring at her for her beauty, but that was not the case.

He recognized her.

"Rokurokubi!" he called, making everybody on that sidewalk in hearing range freeze in terror. L raised a hand in greeting. "Rokurokubi, hello!"

The woman had also stopped, and her grip on her bamboo bag tightened. She turned, stalking up to him and staring into his grey eyes intently.

Her neck began to grow, getting longer and longer. Everybody on the sidewalk began walking again, heading for the destination as they had been.

"Hello," she greeted, her voice very quiet.

L once again waved before turning and continuing to walk away. The woman- whose neck was now 80 feet long- turned and walked in her original direction.

It was common knowledge that rokurokubi lived among the public, and that their necks grew to enormous lengths at night, so the public continued walking without a second glance. L turned to look at Ciel and Sebastian.

"Coming?" he asked, motioning forward.

Ciel was now utterly freaked out, but continued following L, pressing himself even further into Sebastian.

"Japan is a very fucked up place," he murmured. "I want to go home. I want to fucking go back to London... I don't like it here, at all."

L finally entered a small-scale pastry shop. He began to order, and then paused, noticing a woman in the far dark corner. She wore a beautiful green kimono and was alone. She had an aura of misery surrounding her.

Futakuchi-onna!

The man paused, slowly moving his grey eyes back towards the shop owner, who was impatiently waiting.

"Three mochi, please," he said quietly. The man nodded and pulled three of the mochi out of the display case. L took the ice creams, paid for them, and gave one to Ciel. He then retreated to the far corner, sitting down next to the woman and putting a hand on her shoulder.

Ciel nommed on his, still looking very uncomfortable and generally unhappy. He did not enjoy having the shit scared out of him, and he did not like Japan at all.

The woman and L talked in hushed voices for a while. L finally left the two remaining mocha near her and returned to Ciel.

"My experiment is going well," he commented, his expression deadpan. "So far, I have met four Japanese demons, which means that the possibility of you-know-who being a demon is now up to 89%." He frowned. "You don't look very comfortable, nor happy. Why not? Japan is a wonderful place.." He smirked. "Depending on the day, or night."

The woman's long, black hair began snaking out in all directions, and she grabbed the two mochis with two strands. They brought the sweets to the back of her head... where a giant mouth popped out. Her black hair tossed the food into that mouth, and it began chewing silently.

L watched her silently, his expression still deadpan. "That mouth tells her to do things she would not dream of doing," he murmured quietly. "It tells her to cut herself, to kill herself. She has done so many times, but since she is a demon, she is unsuccessful, and is forced to continue living with it for eternity." He turned back to look at Ciel. "We should head back to our apartments now; it's getting rather late, and based on this evidence... I do not want to be stuck in the middle of Tokyo during the twilight hour- midnight."

Ciel quietly nodded, pressing himself up against Sebastian once more, and the demon wrapped his arms comfortingly around the boy's small frame, lightly brushing his hair with his fingers. They then turned to leave, hoping they wouldn't run into anything else on the way home.

Which, unfortunately, they did.

Everything went well for a long time, until a woman in a red kimono roughly grabbed L and shoved him against a brick wall.

She was beautiful, and also had very long hair. Her smile was broad, and she leaned in close to L's face.

L was trying very hard to fight back a smile, and it showed. His knees buckled, but the woman pressed him against the brick wall, her eyes narrowed and her smile broad.

In one quick motion, L covered his mouth with both hands the second he began smiling. He was shaking- hard.

The woman screeched in anger, pushing away from L. He slumped immediately to the sidewalk, his grey eyes wider than normal and his hands still covering his mouth.

I can't move my mouth or she will see through my hands; this basically means I cannot warn Ciel, or Sebastian. He stared at his feet, unblinking and looking traumatized.

He was not traumatized, and merely thinking, but anybody who passed by would think he had seen something too horrible to imagine.

The woman turned to look at Ciel and Sebastian, her smile beautiful and her eyes soft.

Ciel had his face buried behind Sebastian's arms, but Sebastian didn't know not to smile... and he ended up smiling back at the woman.

In one solid motion, her hair snaking upwards, defying all gravity rules. She launched herself at Sebastian the second the large clock in the middle of the square chimed.

12:00. Midnight.

Her black hair was revealed to have barbs on the tips. She began tearing into Sebastian, her teeth revealed to be very sharp. Her eyes glowed an unnatural cream color. She was immune to any of Sebastian's physical defenses; Japanese demons were unharmable.

In one quick motion, L leaped to his feet and grabbed Ciel, shoving the boy behind him and covering both of their mouths with his hands.

Ciel yelped, eyes widening in horror as the woman attacked his butler, and when L grabbed him, he /latched on/ to him, very tightly, clinging and burying his face deep into the older man's chest, shaking like a chihuahua.

And meanwhile, Sebastian was getting viciously torn apart.

L wasn't sure how to respond, so he just stood there, protecting his own mouth from being visible.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the woman demon disappeared, vanishing in a puff of smoke. L stared at Sebastian, frozen in place.

Demons can damage other demons? That's an important thing to know.

Sebastian was now lying on the ground, barely even conscious, brutally torn into, with blood seeping onto the ground.

Ciel just stood there, shaking in horror.

"We're going home... We're going home... I want to go /home/..." he whimpered quietly, though his voice got louder each time he said it. "We're going back to London! I hate it here, I hate it here, I /hate it here!/"

"And Kira's execution is more important than any of that," L replied, pushing Ciel gently away and shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. "Tonight was supposed to be educational, but instead nearly got us killed... twice." He poked at Sebastian with one of his feet. "...you can take care of him. I'm going home." And with that, he began to totter away in the direction of his apartment.

Ciel yelped and lunged at L, hugging him tightly, still shaking.

"Don't.. Don't leave us," he begged, terrified. "Sebastian... he's wounded, he won't be able to fight of we were attacked again.. I don't want to be alone out here!"

L sighed, picking up Ciel and putting him on his back. He held the boy on his back with one hand and reached into his pocket with the other, pulling out his grey cellphone and dialing 911.

Within minutes, Sebastian was on a stretcher and being loaded into the ambulance.

L carried Sebastian away. "You can sleep in my apartment, I suppose, but only because you don't want to be alone," he said, his eyelids heavy and a frown evident on his face.

He looked very exasperated, and wasn't exactly happy about having to take Ciel under his wing. However, he tolerated it.

Ciel latched on tightly to L, having seriously reached his terror limit for one night.

They did not run into any more demons, and L reached the Task Force Headquarters in minutes. He walked inside, knowing it was afterhours and that everybody had gone home. He went upstairs to his room and entered.

Watari had already retired to bed, and L set Ciel down, turning and locking his door. "Help yourself to anything you may need," he said passively, opening a small door that led into a separate bedroom. He motioned inside.

"This is my bedroom, but you can have it, if you want," he offered, his eyelids still heavy. "I don't mind. I plan on staying awake tonight anyway; I have other leads to follow." He paused. "I advise you avoid the bathrooms, however. If Japanese demons do exist... nevermind. If you do end up having to go, you will likely be killed. Here; just in case, you can have a list of things to say." He grabbed his notepad, scribbled down some things, and handed the paper to Ciel. "You will know what order to say those things in. You will." He began tottering back towards his set-up. "And if you have any questions, or find yourself unable to sleep, you can always join me, and I will find something for you to do to entertain yourself. I may even give you a case to work on."

Ciel didn't say a word, merely slinking over to the bed and pulling the covers over his head, still shaking as he tried desperately to just fall into a peaceful sleep.

The sad thing was, though... Ciel was already known to have very vivid, disturbing nightmares that would usually require the comfort of Sebastian, ones that would leave him terrified and screaming. The events from that night would likely make things even worse.

L watched the boy go into his bedroom before turning and stalking into the kitchenette. He brewed himself a pot of coffee and poured the mug himself, grabbing a bowl of sugar cubes as well and returning to his desk to continue working on the Kira case.

A few hours passed, and L continued to work. Hopefully Ciel would not have a nightmare.

Sadly enough, the poor kid /did/ end up having a nightmare when he fell asleep. It was the same one he always had, of being kept in that cage filled with dead children, the men in cultist robes and terrifying masks stalking throughout the room, performing rituals and killing multiple children, only to toss them back into the cage afterwards. It was the same thing he had endured when he was much younger, the same thing which Sebastian had saved him from.

Though this time, it was different; All of the cultists had strangely twisted features, looking more demonic than an actual demon, their faces contorted and disturbed. Some didn't even have eyes, just empty sockets. Some had the same mouth as that first demon they encountered. Some of them didn't have a lower half of their bodies, and looked like zombified mutant monsters. And quite a few of them looked very similar to the woman that had brutally injured Sebastian. It was /terrifying./ And then soon, Ciel's turn came, and the demonic cultists pulled him out of the cage, strapping him down to the table, as they began their disturbing chants, staring down at him with their terrifying faces... and then one of them stabbed at him.

He then woke up, terrified and screaming, hugging his pillow so tightly that his fingers turned white.

L immediately abandoned his post, thinking that perhaps a demon had entered Ciel's room. Instead, he found the boy screaming, and it instantly clicked in his mind that the boy had had a nightmare. He approached Ciel, picking him up and hugging him close.

"It's okay, Mr. Phantomhive," he said quietly. "It will be okay."

Ciel quickly latched onto him, hugging him extremely tightly, burying his face in the man's chest, whimpering and shaking harder than he had been earlier that night. Poor kid.

L carried the boy into the living room, taking a seat in his chair and continuing to hold Ciel. He continued scrolling through evidence and leads, his expression dull. He waited patiently for Ciel to calm down.

Ciel continued to hold onto L tightly, whimpering and shaking. After a while, his whimpers and shaking finally calmed, but he continued holding on to L, head rested on the man's chest. If only Sebastian were there.

L glanced down at Ciel as he calmed down. "...would you like some cake?" he asked quietly.

"...Sure.." Ciel responded quietly, eyes still scared and almost sad-looking.

L nodded, standing and almost having to legitimately rip Ciel off of him. He set the boy down in his chair and left to wake Watari.

He entered the old man's room, knocking on the wall as he did so. "Watari? Your services are requested."

After a little while, the old man stood, went into the bathroom to change, and returned in his usual attire. L motioned silently towards his chair, and Watari immediately understood, putting on his trenchcoat and pulling his fedora down over his face. The two returned to Ciel, and the old man held his hands together.

"What kind of cake would you like?" he asked.

"Chocolate..."

The old man silently went into the miniature kitchen and began preparing the dessert.

L flipped the chair around so that Ciel was facing him. "Mr. Phantomhive, what sort of dream did you happen to have? I apologize for pestering you about it, but it is rather urgent."

Ciel looked down at his lap for a moment, before then sighing and beginning to explain the dream in vivid detail, including the fact that he had a similar dream often, just without the japanese demon crap.

L began to back away, his grey eyes horrified.

"Mr. Phantomhive, are you aware of something called a 'baku'?" he asked quietly, his face returning to its bored state.

HIs distance from Ciel was noticeable, however.

"No..." Ciel responded, eyes dull.

L tottered over to Watari and almost silently exchanged a few words with him. Watari nodded, spreading sea salt over a portion of the top of the cake. L's reasoning was simple: Sea salt is a delicacy on chocolate in England. Demons cannot touch salt according to English folklore.

Watari carried the cake over to Ciel and set it down. He faced L.

"Ryuzaki, permission to return to bed?"

"Granted."

The old man walked back into his room, quietly closing the door and leaving L alone again with Ciel.

"A baku is a dream demon. It is said to devour good dreams and causes recurring nightmares. There is a strong possibility of it existing, judging from what we saw last night." L turned off the lights, leaving the room illuminated by the monitor screens. "Please, indulge yourself; I do not lust after cake at this time."

Ciel did not respond other than murmuring a quiet "thanks" when he was handed his cake, and merely began to silently eat it, looking very unhappy, which was understandable.

When the boy finished, L took the plate and tossed it half-heartedly into the sink. It shattered, and pieces of glass flew all over the counter. Watari will clean that up. He returned to his chair, gently moving Ciel out of it and sitting down. "If you want, you can stay out here," he said quietly. "Or... go back to sleep. Either way, I will be perfectly content."

Ciel then quietly crawled into L's lap without a word, resting his head against the man's chest and falling asleep. Adorableness.

L was rather shocked at Ciel's sudden cuddliness, but said nothing about it. Instead, he continued to click away at websites and leads for hours on end. Finally, he, too, fell asleep, his head tilting backwards and hanging in the air over the back of his chair. His arms dangled down the sides of the chair, as well; he was thoroughly asleep.


	3. L The Shinigami

**Chapter 3**

 **Just a further warning- later on in this, things get weird. And I mean, seriously strange. Can you imagine Ciel, as a new demon, stuck in the form of a ferret, and riding a dragon in a dungeon in Hell? It's that kind of wierd. However, that doesn't happen for a LONNNNG while. But it does happen later soooo... be prepared.  
Another warning: A lot of this rp takes place at like 3 AM. This means, a lot of crazy shit happens at times. That also means, sometimes I or my rp partner just got a bit lazy, and in some places you may find it a small bit difficult to understand what exactly is happening.  
There's also a few inconsistencies, however consider what happens later in the rp to be more 'canon' to the fic than what happens earlier.  
Also, I really suggest you read the Campania arc of the Kuroshitsuji manga, because in that section of the rp I got lazy in some places and just sent my rp partner manga page links. You may be able to figure out what's going on in the RPed parts during that section or it may be a bit confusing.  
Also, I have to go through and edit and remove a bunch of timestamps before posting this, so if I accidentally leave a timestamp in, sorry.**

The next morning, Sebastian had healed just enough to be mobile, and had found Ciel by his scent and the contract sense. He quietly entered the room that Ciel and L were in, staring in surprise as Ciel slept in L's lap.

/He must have had a nightmare while I was gone,/ the demon thought, quirking a brow. /I'm a bit surprised, however, seeing him so content to be comforted by someone other than me./

The demon had begun to get fatigued from his trip from the hospital to the apartment, and stalked over to a couch, lying himself down on top of it, resting there quietly while Ciel remained asleep in L's lap.

L remained asleep, not snoring or anything. He was eerily still, his chest rising and falling vaguely. He looked smaller, and more susceptible to emotion or attack.

Watari had been awake for hours, and had immediately pulled on his disguise when Sebastian had entered. He was still cleaning up bits of glass in the kitchen, working rather efficiently and remaining silent.

Ciel also remained asleep, and Sebastian was wide awake, lying on the couch, though his eyes were closed.

Watari finally finished up and approached Sebastian quietly.

"May I help you with anything?" he asked politely, his face covered by his fedora and trenchcoat.

Sebastian lightly shook his head, opening his red eyes to look up at the man.

"No, that's alright, I don't need anything," he responded, though the pained look on his face said otherwise. He then rolled over onto his side, his back facing Watari.

And then Ciel slowly woke up, blinking. He gazed over at L, eyes lightly drooping from having just woken up. He didn't bother thinking about L's weak look when sleeping and soon just rested his head on the man's chest again. Derp.

Watari glanced at the now-awake Ciel. "I do not know you," he began, "but I would like to advise you not to grow too close to Ryuzaki." He didn't explain why; he merely stared at the boy from underneath his fedora.

At that moment, L slowly awoke, his grey eyes glazed with sleep as he said a simple, slurred sentence:

"Watari, what is the groaning in my stomach for?"

"You're hungry," Watari replied, picking Ciel up off of L's lap and setting the boy down on the couch next to Sebastian. "Just as you always are after you sleep."

"I dislike sleep."

"You make that point every time you sleep, too."

"Watari, I want cake."

The old man nodded and walked into the small kitchen, preparing L his food.

L became fully conscious. He sat upright, his legs supporting him in a crouching position on the chair. He began rooting through leads and files, as he had done before.

"Mr. Phantomhive, butler, thank you for accompanying me last night. I made an important discovery, and now know that in a few months' time I will likely be killed. Your help is much appreciated."

He was practically kicking them out.

Sebastian then slowly stood, stumbling over to L and Ciel. He then kneeled down on one knee, staring up at L.

"Thank you, Ryuzaki, for looking after my master while I was unable," he stated, before then standing again. The demon then scooped Ciel up into his arms, wincing painfully as he did so.

"Alright, come on, young master... we should get back to our own apartment," he murmured, as he then carried the boy away, heading to their own apartment.

"Wait," L said quietly. "...Mr. Phanomhive, good luck on the Kira case."

L's actions had once resulted in the deaths of two people. He called it the 'Detective Wars', and had nearly completely forgotten about what had happened. He only knew that he had stolen two new aliases from other world-renowned detectives. He remembered jealousy burning within his soul; That must be why I did it. He was not afraid to kill yet another detective if it meant having a chance of solving the Kira case alone; a dangerous look crossed over his face as he turned to look at Ciel.

"No, really. Good luck."

Sebastian and Ciel both gave small nods, and then headed out the door.

And so the Kira case continued. It just so happened that L revealed himself to the JTF that day, and afterwords he decided to go out for a little bit. As usual, he left through the back, and was walking along the street when something unusual happened.

The woman in the mask stopped in front of him and spoke. "Am I pretty?"

L was taken a little off guard. I thought you only came out when summoned. "Yes."

She pulled down the mask, once again revealing the Glasgow smile. "Am I pretty now?"

Being a snarky person, L's mouth moved before he could think his answer through. "Yes."

She reached into her coat, and L immediately knew what would happen. The woman pulled a huge pair of scissors out and moved closer to him, opening them and attempting to slice his face. He took off, and she gave chase.

In seconds he was in Ciel's apartment, and he slammed the door shut. The woman slammed at the door on the other side, banging on it and trying to enter. L didn't bother explaining himself to Ciel or Sebastian; instead he contemplated on how lucky an escape that was.

Ciel quickly jolted up when L rushed in, turning his gaze towards the man.

"L?" he called in confusion. "What the hell is going on?"

Sebastian merely lied on the couch, barely moving.

"Good question!" L snapped in response, his grey eyes squeezed closed as he barricaded the door with his body. After a few moments of pressing his entire weight against the door, the banging finally stopped. L backed away from the door.

"Watashi wa fuben, misutā· fantomu o okake shite mōshiwakegozaimasen ga, watashi wa anata ga shinu tsumori kowai," he murmured, forgetting that he was speaking to an Englishman and remembering at the last second to translate himself. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Phantomhive, but I'm afraid you're going to die."

Ciel blinked at that. "Uh... what?"

"You're going to die, Mr. Phantomhive," L replied, staring into Ciel's one eye with his own dull grey ones. "Or had you forgotten that demons are real?"

There was a snarling sound coming from the apartment bathroom, and it was getting louder and closer.

"Japanese urban legends? No. This is far worse than I thought. European urban legends, South American urban legends, North American urban legends, Asian urban legends- and the other continents. They all exist- every single one." He frowned. "And they're hungry, Mr. Phantomhive. Very, very hungry."

Ciel looked /very/ disturbed at that statement.

"...Yet another reason why I want to go the fuck home. Back in England, the only supernatural shit I've met is Sebastian and that shinigami. Here, we're attacked by monsters every hour."

"It's strange," L replied. "It seems as though they aren't attacking anybody else; I haven't been seeing any other passerby being endangered."

He finally turned to look at the bathroom. The door handle was twisting open, and L grabbed Ciel instinctively.

Believe it or not, L had paternal tendencies, and this was one of those times. He pulled the boy behind him, holding him there with both hands.

"Kashima Reiko," he whispered hoarsely. "I knew you would come."

A woman cut in half at the waist was crawling out of the bathroom, but her features were far different from Teke Teke's. For one, she was far more gruesome, with clumps of pale white skin melting off of her. Her face was a grotesque mess, with its defining features twisted and dead, and her long, black hair was covered in white flesh and blood.

"Ciel, don't look at her," L ordered. "Don't acknowledge her. You don't know about her, and you don't need to; do not even pretend to understand the reason as to why she is here. Sebastian, you too."

Ciel gulped and hid behind L, burying his face in the man's shirt. Sebastian merely continued to lie on the couch, not even acknowledging the woman at all.

"Where are my legs?" the decomposing woman asked, coming to a halt in front of L.

"On the Meishin Expressway." L's response was said in deadpan.

"Who told you that?"

"Kashima Reiko told me that."

"Do you know my name?"

L had to think about that one. I don't know your name, apart from that it is Kashima Reiko. But... Ka could stand for Kamen, which means mask; shi could stand for shinin, or dead person; and ma means demon. So, in that case...

"Mask Death Demon."

The woman turned and began crawling away from L. She was headed back for the toilet, which she had emerged from.

When she was gone, L turned to stare at Ciel. "Mr. Phantomhive, I once again apologize for the inconvenience."

"Yeah, because simply saying sorry totally works after being confronted by a dead cut in half thing," Ciel huffed, crossing his arms and looking very uncomfortable. "Yeah, that's it. I'm not even safe in my own apartment, Sebastian and I are going home."

L stared at Ciel for a rather long time before turning around and walking away. "At least they give you questions to answer," he replied. "It could be far worse; you could be faced with Sadako, Kayako, Oiwa, Okiku, Gashadokuro, Kokkuri-san- even though he is not dangerous, there are some questions you are best left not knowing-, Kune Kune, Hachishakusama, Hikiko-san.. or.." He dared utter a single word after his list of names.

"Tomino."

He then began to leave the apartment, a hand stuck in his jean pocket. "If you do end up leaving, then I wish you luck in informing the queen that her Watchdog is giving up."

Soon after, Ciel and Sebastian had left Japan, returning to Europe. Ciel had been able to explain his reasoning to the Queen, who allowed him to give up the Kira case without trouble.

Soon, the events of the Houndsworth arc occurred, and soon the Puppetmaker and Curry Competition arcs happened as well.

Now, they were once again in the middle of a manga/anime timeskip, and Ciel was currently in his study, working on a bunch of paperwork and shit.

During all of those events, the events of Death Note had happened, up until the day before L's death.

He knew something was coming. He knew it. The man stood, leaving his chair and headed up into the room in which Watari slept.

The man knocked on the wall, and was surprised to find that Watari was already awake. "Come in," the old one said. L entered, his grey eyes wide.

"Should something happen to you," he said quietly, "you are to delete all data from the database regarding Kira. Understood?"

Watari agreed, and L returned to his seat. I need to contact the Watchdog, to see how he is doing and to warn him of my impending death. He reached into his jeans pocket, pulling out his grey cellphone.

Being L, he had- of course- set up secret technology things inside the Phantomhive manor. This was not limited to a telephone station in Ciel's study. He rang up Ciel, turning on the synthetic voice as he did so. I can always say I have the wrong number if someone else answers.

When the phone rang, Ciel answered it a few moments later, a bit confused.

"...Hello? Who is th- FINNY STOP RIDING PLUTO THROUGH THE FUCKING HOUSE! Okay sorry, uh, who is this?"

"Give Finny my regards," L responded, the voice scrambler crackling through the line. "Mr. Phantomhive, it certainly has been quite a while, but I need to tell you something very important."

"What is it?" Ciel questioned from the other end of the line, sounding both curious and confused. "And... who is this? Ryuzaki..?"

"Mr. Phantomhive, I'm afraid I will not be alive for much longer. Please do not question my logic; I just know. In England, there is a place known as Winchester. In Winchester, there is an orphanage known as Wammy's House. Please visit this orphanage and take a look at the children. Do so as soon as possible; I will maintain communication with you through the cellphone I had placed on your bedside table."

"...And what exactly is it that you want me to do at this orphanage?"

"Find someone named Roger and inform him that L has died. He will likely ask you how you know this information; simply tell him that it was in the newspaper." L's voice was hushed. "This is my last full day on Earth, Ciel. I do apologize for all of the trouble I put you through when you visited Japan; things have gotten much worse, if I do say so myself. People are being killed by monsters on every street corner; the public has learned to ignore it. Japan is no longer glorious; it is a ruthless madhouse of unrestful spirits who possess and kill." He paused. "I'm likely going to become one of them after I pass on. If you see me, it is not me, I can assure you of that. Now, back to your task. Please go to Wammy's House in Winchester, England, and maintain contact with me through the cellphone on your bedside table. I will be calling you shortly."

Ciel gave a nod and hung up, a troubled look on his face. He then stalked over to the little bell in his room that called for Sebastian, and the butler came quite quickly.

"Sebastian, prepare a carriage. Ryuzaki has called me, we're going to Winchester, to an orphanage called Whammy's House."

Sebastian gave a light bow. "Yes, my lord," he responded, before then turned and exiting the room.

Soon, they had boarded a carriage and were on their way, with Ciel holding the cellphone in his lap.

L dialed the cellphone's number, once again switching on the voice scrambler. If he does not answer, then I'm afraid this will be for nothing- a waste of valuable time.

Ciel quickly picked up. "Hi."

"Mr. Phantomhive, what is your current location?"

"We're currently in the carriage, on the way there."

"I know, smartass," L replied, his colorful vocabulary a first. "What is your current location? Geographically speaking?"

"We're pretty close to Winchester- SEBASTIAN LEAVE THE CAT ALONE!"

"Close to Winchester? Good. Call this phone when you get there. I assume you remember your instructions?"

"Yes."

"Good." L hung up, putting his cellphone on the desk and burying his head in his arms. Even I cannot escape the fear of dying. Well.. it is not exactly fear. I prefer to describe it as dread.

Ciel soon arrived at the orphanage, and as he pulled up and exited the carriage, he dialed L's number as instructed.

L answered, this time turning off the voice scrambler. "Enter the building and ask for Roger," he said quietly. "And, when you speak with him, hold the phone out so I can hear what he says. He is not the smartest person on the planet and will likely not think twice about it."

Ciel nodded and walked in through the doors, stalking over to the receptionist.

"Hello, may I speak to Roger, please?" he asked her, expression deadpan.

The woman nodded, pressing down on the intercom. "Roger? You have been requested in the lobby."

A few minutes later, an old man resembling a younger version of Watari walked into the room. "Yes? What do you want, boy?"

L spoke quietly into the cellphone. "He will receive a text message from me regarding my death tomorrow. Something tells me that Watari will be retiring, so I made sure to include that Watari had died, as well. However, the poor man deserves a heads-up, so go ahead and tell him what you were instructed to. And, hold the phone away from your ear. I wish to hear."

Ciel then held the phone near Roger, and began to explain everything that L had told him to.

Roger did not take the news lightly. "Where did you hear about this?" he asked, somewhat bitterly.

"The newspaper."

Roger was a little taken aback by that. "Impossible! I read the paper just this morning. Why would someone even bother reporting on an unknown man?"

L remained silent.

"Because I just so happened to know L personally, and he told me that if he should ever die, I am to tell you," Ciel responded plainly. "Believe me or don't, that's your call."

Roger snorted at that. "It's common knowledge that L hates children," he replied, turning and walking away. "I'm dismissing this as a prank."

The woman nodded towards the door. "Sir, I'm afraid you should leave now. You upset Roger."

L stared at his feet in silence.

"I am not a child," Ciel responded coldly. "I am the Queen's watchdog, Ciel Phantomhive. I am no mere child, and I request that you do not dare dismiss me as such."

"Mr. Phantomhive," L finally said, "I'm afraid you are, in fact, a child."

The woman stared at the cellphone in silence, her eyes widening.

"Please leave, Mr. Phantomhive. I will speak to you soon." L continued to stare at his feet.

Ciel snorted in annoyance, turning and exiting the building.

"Insolent little..." he muttered under his breath, extremely annoyed as he once again boarded his carriage, and set off back home.

L spoke one more time. "It has been an absolute pleasure knowing you, Ciel Phantomhive. But, I'm afraid I never did ask; what is your butler's name?" His voice was unusually quiet. "I apologize for asking."

"Sebastian," Ciel responded. "His name is Sebastian Michaelis... I thought you knew, I've said it around you before."

"I don't pick up on those kinds of subtle things," L whispered in response. "Sebastian Michaelis. What an interesting name."

"How so?"

"It's European," L replied. "It has been years since I heard a European name apart from my own." Are you curious as to what my real name is, Ciel? I'd be more than willing to tell you if you simply asked.

"Well, yeah... we do live in Europe."

"Sebastian Michaelis," L repeated in response. "Demon butler." He stood, stuffing his hand into his pocket and walking over to the large window which overlooked Tokyo. "I have solved over 2,000 criminal cases in my lifetime, and during the Kira case alone I solved 145 more. Do you know how accomplished that makes me feel, Mr. Phantomhive? That much evil, given their proper punishments. I have a new task for you, Mr. Phantomhive, and you must carry it out to the best of your abilities."

"And what is it?"

"You must solve more cases than me in your lifetime."

Ciel blinked at that request. "Er... I could try to.."

"That's over 2,145 cases, Mr. Phantomhive. Are you up to the suffering that comes from solving and working on that many?"

"I'll be honest here, I don't know."

"Did it ever occur to you when you began being a private investigator, Mr. Phantomhive, that perhaps the negative effects would someday catch up to you?"

"Yes, I know."

"And yet you continue on, solving cases and saving lives while putting ends to others."

"Yes. I am aware."

"Then answer me this, Mr. Phantomhive. Why do you continue?"

"It's my job," Ciel then responded, even his voice deadpan. "As the Queen's watchdog, it's my duty to serve and vanquish her worries. When a crime attracts her attention and she wants it solved, it's my job to do so. That job has been in my family name for countless generations, and I'm not going to give up the family tradition."

"Your reasoning is far better than mine," L replied, gazing out the window and at the still-waking city. "I solve cases for no reason other than that I like to. I consider it a hobby. You never did tell me, Mr. Phantomhive: why are you frightened of demons if you know that they can easily be avoided with the right words?"

"Because I don't know the words to defend against them, they look creepy as hell, and one of them was even able to brutally injure my demon butler, and some of them will pursue you without having any defense against them. I will admit, I am terrified of anything that even my demon butler cannot defend against. If Sebastian cannot defend against them, I sure as hell won't be able to."

L knew exactly what he had to say next. "I'm sorry, Ciel, but you are in Europe. So I must warn you of something." He held his thumb to his mouth and began chewing on it. "Beware of the man they call 'Skinny'." Without another word, he hung up, knowing very well that it would be his last conversation with Ciel. Goodbye, Mr. Phantomhive. It has been a pleasure knowing you.

Ciel sighed and pocketed the phone, and was silent the rest of the way home.

A day and a half passed, and L's name had been written down. He died in the ambulance that Matsuda had called.

His soul, however, did not.

The man wandered aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo, searching desperately for Watari. At one point, he approached a group of schoolchildren and asked them where his adoptive father had went. They took off, screaming, and L only realized why when he stopped next to a window to stare at himself.

He was transparent, barely visible. His jaw was longer than it had been, and dangled almost down to his chest in a horrifying oval. His teeth were sharp and jagged, and bordered his entire oval mouth. His eyes were black, and dark, faded circles surrounded them. His pale skin was cracked, and falling off at places like a chip in a tea cup, or like petrified wood. Blood and gore stained the area where his heart had been, and he realized rather suddenly that he was only visible to those who had encountered some kind of demon before.

Only, this wasn't a demon.

This was his soul.

It was harsh, black, unattractive, and horrifying. This was who he truly was on the inside; this was who he had always been.

Horrified, L turned back towards the street and continued to wander aimlessly throughout the city, asking randomers where Watari was.

Nobody ever answered him.

A small dispatch of shinigami had been sent to collect souls in Japan for the first time in at least 10 years, and needless to say, it was a mess.

Grell Sutcliff, along with Ronald Knox, were currently scouting through one of Japan's cities, searching for the next soul on Grell's To-Die list: L Lawliet.

Due to the strange nature of the country known as Japan, souls had a strange habit of separating from the body before they were reaped, which was extremely troublesome for shinigami.

"Ugh, why did we have to be sent?!" Grell complained, looking extremely annoyed. "I could be getting a manicure, and I'm having to clean up and work overtime in a crazy place overrun with souls run rampant!"

"I feel ya there," Knox muttered in response. "I was supposed to go to a party today, but you can guess how that's turned out."

The two of them continued their search for a while, until they finally located the one they were looking for.

"Ew, he's pretty gross looking," Grell huffed, turning his nose up. "He may have had a pretty face in life, but his soul is ugly."

"Like something I'd expect to come out of William's armpits," Knox responded, chuckling a bit. He then dashed away from Grell, approaching L.

"Hey there! L Lawliet, right?" he greeted, grinning widely.

"Where is Watari?" L asked in response, his black eyes showing great sadness despite being, well, black. He had an aura of anxiety to him, as well; his inner monsters had finally been unleashed. "My name is L Lawliet, you are correct, but that name was given to me by Watari. Where is he?"

"Quillsh Whammy, you mean?" Knox responded with a tilt of his head. "He's already up and on his way to the afterlife, buddy, and you're next. I'm Ronald Knox, a shinigami- I'm here to collect your soul and send ya off to the next world, ya see. You'll see that old friend of yours soon enough."

"Very well," L replied, bowing his head and letting his black, gore-stained bangs fall over his face. "I will not resist."

"You'll also take back on the way you looked in life, but even hotter," Knox added with a bit of joking humor. "So that's probably a plus."

"Ronnie, please be professional on the job," Grell commented, leaning on a tree and rolling his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk, sensei."

"I don't care. I'm your superior. I act how I want."

"..."

Knox then sighed, and raised his lawnmower-like thing towards L. "Sorry, buddy, this is gonna hurt for a split second, but then it'll be over and off to paradise, heh~!"

And then he ground up L's head in the lawnmower.

Knox was right; it did hurt, but L refused to allow the pain to show on his face. He found himself squeezing his eyes closed and gritting his teeth, unable to see anything but infinite darkness. Is this what the afterlife looks like?

L was then soon transported into a room-like place, with comfortable couches and chairs and a bunch of shit. Outside, was a nice little garden, with everything full of peacefulness. A large gate surrounded the house-like place L had been transported to.

L opened his grey eyes and found that his soul had deteriorated even further to look more rotten. He tried to move, but found himself frozen as something spoke.

"That's him. Bring him up here."

It felt like he was slammed into the wall. He gasped for breath as he was surrounded by a white light, and in seconds he was in the Realm of the Shinigami- the Japanese ones.

The shinigami king waved off L's appearance. "Have a Death Note," he said, his voice guttural as he picked one up off of a large pile and tossed it at him. L caught it, his eyes wide.

"Don't worry, Lawliet; now YOU get to be the judge!" the king laughed, pointing towards a door-like opening in a mound of skulls. Brilliant white light poured out of it.

L instinctively began trudging towards it, clenching the notebook tightly between his fingers. He stepped inside and immediately found himself in an office of sorts. Unsure of what to do, he just kind of stood there, holding the notebook and waiting for something to happen.

Near and Mello had separated, and the events of Death Note pertaining to those two began. Yay.

A council of men with glasses and tuxedos surrounded the room, seated at a huge round counter-like thing. L was in the center of the room, surrounded on almost all sides by these men.

"L Lawliet," one of the men then called, standing and staring down at him with bright green-yellow eyes. "Welcome. We've brought you here today to welcome you into the new life of an immortal shinigami, the neutral force between life and death, good and evil. You, the recently deceased, are being granted a new chance at a new life, in which you will be trained in our ways. Unfortunately, your death took place in Japan, your name written in a Japanese shinigami's Death Note, and so have ended up with one of your own. That is one thing that will set you apart from the rest of us. However, we will still welcome you among ourselves. Are you willing to take on this new life, L Lawliet?"

"Yes," L finally replied. "I am." A new challenge, and perhaps my final challenge: being a god of death.

"Then welcome to the life of a shinigami, L. Before you gain full shinigami status, you first must complete training. You will be trained by Grell Sutcliff," the man announced. The room then went silent.

"You can't be serious... trained by Sutcliff? He's batshit insane!" another shinigami protested.

"Hush. The decision is made."

L didn't know who Grell was, but the idea of being trained by an insane shinigami did not sit well on his shoulders. I have zero tolerance for goofing off, he thought bitterly. Zero.

"Please go down that hallway to your left," the shinigami then commanded. "Mr. Sutcliff will be waiting for you, and will be providing you with a pair of spectacles and a training scythe."

L frowned at that and hesitantly obliged. I give orders. I do not follow them.

He finally reached the end of the hallway, and he began sucking on his thumb intently. Mr. Sutcliff. It is a pleasure to meet you. He did not extend a hand in greeting, nor did he speak.

Grell merely glanced at the other man, a bored look on his face. "Ah, you're that man whose soul we collected a while ago..." he stated plainly. "Hello there."

He then halfheartedly tossed a pair of glasses at him. "Put those on."

L caught the glasses between his index finger and thumb and put them on. His vision considerably improved, but he did not mention it. Go on, then, Mr. Sutcliff; teach me the ways of a European shinigami.

"Class starts tomorrow," Grell then stated boredly. "Until then, there's cake in the fridge... and a little Phantomhive brat at a certain manor."

"How does this information benefit me?" L finally asked quietly, his expression bored as he stared up at Grell.

He was slouched over, as usual, but his slouch was worse than usual, making him almost doubled over. Had he been standing straight, he would be staring down at Grell, who was a mere inch shorter than him.

The man brought a thumb to his mouth and began chewing on it intently. "I already bid Mr. Phantomhive my farewell; there is no reason for you to mention him."

The red-haired shinigami shrugged. "Suit yourself," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "I just thought that maybe, since you're not going to be permanently dead and leaving this world any time soon, you might want to be able to see the brat again. After all, you two seemed to enjoy eachothers' company. But hey, not my business. My job's just to teach you, not babysit."

"..when exactly can I see him, and.. how?" L was still a little cautious around the long-haired man; he did not like him one bit.

"Whenever you're not on work hours, you can do whatever the hell you want," Grell responded, sounding bored and uncaring. "Otherwise, you're stuck with me and a bunch of other new recruits in a classroom. And believe me, newbie, I don't like this little arrangement either. I'm not a person who enjoys playing teacher, you know... At least I get Will helping me, hmph."

"And am I on work hours right now?" L asked, his expression just as bored and uncaring as Grell's. This is the shinigami that murdered Mr. Phantomhive's aunt.

"No. You'll know when you are."

"Ah, okay. Bye." And with that, L walked away, presumably to find Ciel, which he soon did.

Soon, he stood on the doorstep of the Phantomhive manor, having gotten there however shinigami got places. He rang the doorbell and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

The doorbell was soon opened by Finny, who stared at him, blinking. "Oh, hello Mister Ryuzaki!" the boy greeted him, stepping aside and letting him in. "I'll inform the young master you're here!"

He then bounded away up the steps, soon coming back down with a very shocked-looking Ciel and a very uncomfortable-looking Sebastian, who stared intensely at L as if he had grown two heads.

"...Finny. Leave please," Ciel then monotonously commanded. Though confused, Finny followed his master's orders and left the room, and Ciel and Sebastian continued staring at L.

"Green-yellow eyes..." Sebastian murmured, gaze darkened.

"Glasses," Ciel added, also looking very confused.

"God of Death," L added, leaning against the doorway. "Death Note." He held up the notebook and wiggled it in Ciel's face. "You're intelligent, Mr. Phantomhive; at least, I think you are." He paused. "Thankfully you were not in Japan after my death; my soul's appearance would have thoroughly frightened you."

Ciel stared at him, blinking. "You're... a shinigami? How the hell...?"

"And I'll write your name if you don't wipe the incredulous look off of your face," L replied, opening his fancy shmancy notebook and pulling a pen out of his pocket. "What is your full name? Ciel... Phantomhive?" He pretended to write the boy's name, though his pen did not touch the page. "Please, understand. Mr. Sutcliff and his associate were collecting souls, and the Japanese shinigami decided they wanted me to be a shinigami. They gave me a Death Note to write names in, and sent me to the European shinigami realm." He frowned. "It is certainly confusing. I did not realize that European Gods of Death were so organized."

"Er... Yeah, they are, apparently," Ciel responded, blinking. "Though you'd never know if the only shinigami you know is Grell."

"Ew," Sebastian plainly commented at the mention of Grell's name.

L stood to his full height for perhaps the first time in a very long time- seven years, at the very least. "How do I look?" he asked, pocketing his Death Note and pen and holding his hands in front of him the way Watari once had. He looked very professional, but... his spine hurt. Badly.

"Ouch." He slouched back into his original position, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Nevermind. Disregard, please."

Ciel blinked and then lightly shook his head, turning his back on the shinigami and heading for the steps. "Come on, Ryuzaki- let's talk in my study."

"Yeah, okay," he replied, walking inside and kicking off his shoes. "I dislike tuxedoes anyway. How I ended up in one is a mystery to me." He followed Ciel to his study and paused.

"The technology is gone."

He was correct; the wires and things had been ripped out for some reason. "Mr. Phantomhive, why is all of that expensive technology gone?"

"The police," Ciel responded simply. "The police raided and removed the technology for security purposes or some stupid shit."

"London is stupid," L hissed, hitting his head repeatedly against the wall. WHAT. WHY. I TOLD THEM NOT TO. I AM SEETHING WITH RAGE. I WILL BECOME GODZILLA AND FIGHT THEM OR SOMETHING IF THEY EVEN TRY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH.

"Ryuzaki, please calm down," Ciel stated exasperatedly. "You're going to give yourself a concussion or something.. or make a hole in my wall."

"Your wall deserves a hole in it anyway," L replied. He paused, his eyes widening. "I never chose a successor."

And with that, he turned slowly around to look at Ciel. "I never chose a successor."

"Uh...?"

"Mr. Phantomhive, I never chose a successor."

"...Uh.. Okay?"

"Near, or Mello? Near, because he uses his brains; Mello, because he has a very nasty look in his eyes. But which one?"

"I'd choose the one with a demon butler," Ciel responded sarcastically, in an attempt to just be a bit humorous.

L did not find that funny. "Mr. Phantomhive, Near is an albino and unfortunately suffers from Asperger's. Mello is a blonde who has thug-like tendencies. Both are brilliant, but Near uses his head for most things, and Mello reacts on impulse. Which one?"

"I'd say the one who uses his head," Ciel responded. "Acting like a thug will get you nowhere, but intelligence goes a pretty damn long way."

L nodded, sticking a thumb in his mouth. "Yes; I'd say that's a very good idea. But... I do not know what is happening between them." He paused, a glare coming to his grey eyes. "We are going to need to go back to Japan, Mr. Phantomhive."

Ciel immediately shook his head. "No. No. Oh /hell/ no, no no hell to the fucking /no/."

"Oh? I'm sorry, Mr. Phantomhive, but you're going to need to. It is mandatory."

"Give me five reasons why I should go to Japan."

"Kira, justice, revenge, Light Yagami, Nate River."

Ciel just stared at L with a deadpan expression. "If I go, I'm bringing all of my servants with me, /and/ that shinigami wierdo with the chainsaw. At least maybe then it'll be safer..."

"Oh, nothing can kill a Japanese demon, but.. if it makes you feel safer, then sure," L replied. "But we need to go to Japan. I could do it myself but unfortunately I need an extra set of eyes and ears."

"Why not just take your shinigami co-workers?" Ciel sighed, though he stood anyway. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm letting you drag me into this... Sebastian, prepare a carriage to head for the airport, round up the servants, and seduce Grell into helping us."

L nodded. "I can always write their names in my notebook..." he mumbled, referring to the Japanese demons. "Or, perhaps I may collect their souls?... no. If I am collecting a soul, it will be Light Yagami's." He grabbed Ciel by the shoulders and forced the boy to look him in the eye. "Beware the man they call 'Skinny'," he said quietly, his eyes wide. Skinny will kill you if you do not watch yourself, Mr. Phantomhive.

"Er... Who is Skinny..?"

"Skinny is a European urban legend," L replied with a frown. "Would you like to meet him?"

"/No./"

"He's an interesting individual, though."

"I don't care. Tell me, do not show me."

"No, I'd like to show you. Pleeeeeeeeaaaassssssssssseeeeeeeee?~"

"/NO!/" Ciel then snapped, looking very pissed off. "You and your antics in Japan, showing me all of those damn /things/ nearly got me and my butler /killed/!"

"You won't die, though," L whined, breaking character to convince Ciel. "He's perfectly harmless!" I'm lying, you'll die. But... he's so cool!

Ciel then snarled, and was about to smack the shit out of L, but held his hand back, merely shaking and growling, brows furrowed.

"No," he hissed one final time. "I refuse."

"And I counter your refusal," L replied, grabbing Ciel's hand and taking off out the door, using his shinigami strength to his advantage and dragging Ciel to a street corner. "Almost time!"

Ciel yelped and kicked, struggling intensely, even going so far as to bite and claw at L, growing even more filled with rage by the minute. "Let me go!" he spat, kicking L multiple times in a feeble attempt to escape. "Fucking let go of me!"

"Nah," L replied, a wild grin on his face and his other hand up on his bottom lip. His eyes were wide, and he gripped Ciel by his other hand.

A tall, emaciated figure appeared just as the sun began to set. His eyes were sunken, with dark circles around them. He did not have any eyeballs, instead just simple empty eyesockets.

"He abducts children, sews their mouths shut, and pokes out their eyeballs," L commented casually. "But you are not a mere child, are you, Mr. Phantomhive?" He tightened his grip on the boy.

Ciel hissed and continued struggling, glaring intensely at both L and the creature. "You're trying to get me killed!" he spat. "You're doing this on purpose, you flithy-[INSERT NUMEROUS INSULTS HERE]!"

"Yes, maybe I am," L replied. "But.. I thought you were not a child, Mr. Phantomhive. Surely you won't be in danger if you are not a mere child?"

"Mentally, you dimwit!" Ciel spat angrily. "I have the mentality of someone much older, but I'm still a kid physically! Do you honestly think this monster cares whether or not my mental state is different from that of a normal child's?!"

"Mentality has everything to do with it," L replied. "Hence my distance from him."

To prove his point, the shinigami raised a hand and waved at the demon. It motioned towards itself with an emaciated finger, telling L to come closer. The man did not move, rooting his feet in place. "So, tell me one more time, Mr. Phantomhive: are you a mere child? We'll let the child-eater decide." And with that, he began to approach Skinny, dragging Ciel along beside him.

Ciel hissed and continued viciously clawing, kicking, and biting at L, still desperately attempting to get away, his instinctual sense of fear overcoming his rational thought.

"I swear, if I die from this, I will never forgive you, you asshole!"

"Your petty insults take no effect on me," L replied, stopping right in front of Skinny. The demon turned its head towards Ciel, then turned back to L and reached into its pocket. It pulled out a sewing needle and advanced towards the shinigami, arms outstretched. L did not fight back; there are not a lot of ways to kill a shinigami. I highly doubt that having my mouth sewn closed or my eyeballs collected would kill me.

Skinny did as Skinny does; it stabbed its needle into L's mouth, and the man stepped back casually, dragging Ciel with him.

"See? My point has been proven," L commented, ripping the needle out of his face and throwing it back at Skinny before quickly returning to the other side of the street. Skinny did not move, instead simply staring blankly at them as though it could not comprehend what had happened.

"Physical appearance has nothing to do with it when it comes to Skinny," L said quietly. "In truth, he is the one to go to if you are doubting your maturity; or, in my case, if you are doubting the maturity of others."

Ciel growled and shoved L away, pressing himself against a wall and hugging himself tightly. "Fuck you."

"Hmmm, I actually would, given the chance," L shot back. "You just faced a demon and didn't end up dead. Does that not surprise you? You are an adult inside your mind, Mr. Phantomhive." L put two fingers against Ciel's temple and lowered his head to eye level. He stared directly into the boy's blue eyes. "And a mind like this should be able to get over any fears or dangers presented to it."

Ciel sighed and turned his gaze away. "I already know that, dammit..." he muttered, voice still sounding angry. "But that doesn't mean I want to go blindly rushing into a situation that could get me killed, especially if it's something even Sebastian can't defend against."

"You need to learn how to not rely on supernatural forces to keep you safe," L said, very quietly. "You need to learn how to defend yourself against demons without leaning on the shoulders of a butler. I'm being an utter hypocrite when I say that, but I know deep inside that I am correct." He frowned. "Even Watari was not always there for me, and Sebastian will not always be there for you. He may easily end up stabbed, or injured very badly. What would you do then?"

Ciel sighed and looked away, staring at the ground. "...I don't know. I wouldn't be able to defend myself, I'm... very physically weak. I'd die."

L took a step back. "Look at me, Ciel," he ordered softly. "Look at who you are speaking to. I am perhaps the most physically weak person I have ever met." That's a lie; I'm actually rather strong for my size. But you don't need to know that. "Please do not convince yourself of certain death; otherwise that paranoia will live inside your mind, for the rest of your life and possibly eternity."

Ciel sighed and lightly shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, whatever..." he huffed, stalking back the way they had came. "I just... we need to get back to the manor. Sebastian should have the carriage ready by now."

L followed quietly. "Do not dismiss my words lightly, Mr. Phantomhive. They may come in handy one of these days."

Ciel didn't respond, and merely continued walking. They soon reached the manor, where Sebastian, the servants, and Grell were waiting by the carriage.

And Grell was trying unsuccessfully to flirt with Sebastian, while Ciel got in the carriage.

L hopped in beside them, deciding to tag along instead of just going ahead. He put his feet up onto the seat, which was a bit difficult considering the seat length, and began chewing on his thumb. "This is a nice arrangement," he commented. "If Grell is tagging along, then I can get to know him on a personal level."

"I only want him for the chainsaw," Ciel huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as the carriage started moving. "I hate him personally, he's creepy as all hell."

"/Death scythe!/" Grell snapped, glaring at Ciel. "It's not a /chainsaw/, you little brat, it's a /death scythe!/"

"I don't care."

"Why you little-!"

"Please calm down," L mumbled. "I dislike arguing." If you both don't shut up right now, I'll kick you until your heads fly off.

Ciel rolled his eyes and stopped bothering to speak to the aggravated shinigami, while the latter continued to grumble under his breath about how annoying Ciel was and humans in general.

"Mr. Sutcliff, were you not a human, too, at one point?" L commented quietly. "Because if you were then your argument is irrelevant."

"No, actually," Grell snapped, eye twitching. "Some shinigami are born from an old human life- but some are actually born as a shinigami from birth, like me."

"And yet you are showing very human emotions. So, your argument is invalid if you find a race annoying, and yet consistently act and look like that race." You're starting to aggravate me.

Grell snorted in annoyance at that, turning his head away from L. "Bassy, do I /really/ have to work with these loons?"

"Says you," Sebastian responded, rolling his eyes. "You call them loons, when you are far more 'loon'ish than they are."

"You're horrible!"

"I am well aware."

"Sebastian, Ciel, move over, please. I'm afraid you're both in my way of strangling this imbecile."

"I am most certainly /not/ an imbecile," Grell snorted in response, crossing his arms and pouting. "I hate you all."

"Good, then shut up and stop talking," Sebastian huffed, also beginning to get annoyed. Grell finally shut up, sitting there with his arms crossed and looking very aggravated.

"The airport is a few short miles from here," L sighed, putting a hand on his head in annoyance. "We will be there shortly... as long as I don't have to sit next to Mr. Sutcliff, I think this will be a smooth trip."

"Honey, you'll be sitting with me alllllllllllllllllllllllllll day in a classroom tomorrow," Grell stated, rolling his eyes. "Get used to it."

"Call me 'honey' again and I will make your life hell for the next 24 hours," L snapped in response, aggravation seeping from him in waves.

"Would you like a name like 'Bassy'? Because I can sure as hell give you a nickname just like my dear Sebas-chan up there."

"And I can give you the nickname 'Annoying-Ass God of Death'. Would you like to be called that during our class tomorrow? Because I will certainly not hesitate to call you that." L was more bitter than he had ever been, ever.

"And I'll call you Lil' Lawly."

"That's it!" L snarled, launching himself across the carriage and grabbing Grell by the neck. "Shut your trap, you useless waste of air!"

Ciel gave a very loud sigh and facepalmed, while Grell punched L in the face.

"Both of you, sit your asses down, be quiet, and stop bickering!" Ciel snapped, eye twitching.

"Mr. Phantomhive, stay out of this," L replied, biting down on Grell's fingers and twisting. He continued kicking and punching at Grell, continuing the fight and accidentally kicking Ciel in the face with his bare foot in the process.

Ciel hissed in annoyance as he was kicked in the face and sunk his nails deep into the skin on L's foot in aggravation. "Sit your ass down and stop fighting in the goddamn carriage!"

"Ack!" L exclaimed as Ciel sunk his nails into his foot. "Mr. Phantomhive, you have absolutely no idea where that has been-"

"I don't care, sit down and stop fighting in my carriage."

L reluctantly pulled away from Ciel, sitting back down in his spot and chewing intensely on his nails. "Mr. Sutcliff, we will finish this later," he growled through gritted teeth.

Grell huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, going silent.

They soon arrived at the airport and boarded their plane without hesitation.

The only downfall was that L ended up having to sit right next to Grell, but they were in the very far back of the plane.

"Hey, Annoying-Ass God of Death, do you want to finish what we started? Or did I win that little tussle?"

"Sure, Lil' Lawly, I'd be happy to beat your ass," Grell responded, looking both agitated and amused at the same time.

L growled at that, grabbing Grell by the neck and slamming him into the back wall. "Shut up," he snarled, his eyes deadly.

"You started it," Grell responded, rolling his eyes. he then kicked upwards with his feet, sending L flying to the other side of the wall, and then quickly lunged at him, grabbing him by the front of the neck and slamming him into the floor multiple times.

L kicked upwards quickly, sending Grell smashing into the ceiling. "No, I didn't. You started it with your snide remarks and your bickering with Ciel."

Grell rolled his eyes at that comment and quickly flung himself back at L.

The two of them wrestled and battled in the back of the plane for /hours/, until finally they reached Japan, and Sebastian had to go back there and manually separate them by holding them both away from eachother by their shirt collars, and then drag them out of the plane.

L kicked and fought against Sebastian, finally ripping himself away from the demon and standing bitterly on the sidewalk with an aura of anger surrounding him.

"Mr. Sutcliff, I will force you to read Tomino's Hell out loud," he threatened under his breath. (Tomino's Hell is a poem which, if read aloud, will cause the reader to either become horribly maimed or die.) The shinigami opened up his Death Note and scribbled Grell's name in it, as well, hoping it would work but knowing that it would not.

Grell then reached over and plucked the Death Note from L's hands, ripped it up, and tossed it in a fountain.

Then Sebastian slapped Grell.

"MR. SUTCLIFF, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" L exclaimed angrily, racing over to the other shinigami and shoving his head into the side of the concrete fountain.

And then the two shinigami fought for ten hours straight, while Sebastian, Ciel, and the servants just watched with deadpan expressions.

Finally, they broke apart, and L dropped to the ground, physically exhausted and breathing very hard. "I'll- I'll get you next time, Mr. Sutcliff.." He collapsed against the sidewalk, his eyes closing.

The darkness was unbearable. L fought for breath, scrabbling against the blackness of his mind. "Please!" he called, his chest burning. "Wammy-san! Save me! Save me like you always do!" He didn't see Watari, but knew that the man was there. He reached for him, grasping for his handler. And then Near showed up, the same nasty look in his eyes as had been there the day L spoke to the children of Wammy's. The albino stared at L, a look of horror crossing his face as he realized what was happening. L tried desperately to grasp at the boy, but couldn't get a hold on him. "Please, Near! Help me!" The boy shrunk back, tears forming in his grey eyes.

And somewhere in Japan, Near awoke in a cold sweat, terrified of what he had just seen: a cracked, broken soul whose face was twisted and grotesque, and whose appearance was ugly, black, unattractive, and horrifying. And he knew, deep within his heart, that he had been looking at the holder of the alias L.

Grell grinned triumphantly as the younger shinigami passed out, and he stood with a wide grin on his face... until he got his ass beat by Sebastian.

"I have more of that for Ryuzaki when he wakes up," the demon snorted, eyes narrowed. "You two are acting like immature little children. Now both of you need to get your acts together and stop wasting time by bickering with eachother."

L opened his eyes and struggled to his feet, immediately noticing Grell and rushing up to grab the shinigami by the shirt collar.

"That was my Death Note," he growled through gritted teeth. "And I do not appreciate having it ripped up."

"Oh please, you wouldn't be allowed to use it anyway," Grell responded with a snort. "Killing those not on the To-Die list, which includes by means of Death Note, is prohibited and can get you jail time and loss of your scythe, if you've got one. I know that all too well."

"Oh? Perhaps it's easier to write a name than to kill someone using a Death Scythe. Also, I'm a bit of an escape artist; no bars can hold me in." And with that, L slammed Grell's head into the concrete sidewalk.

"/Enough/, you dolts!" Ciel hissed, marching up and slapping /both/ of them, /hard./ "Stop your pathetic bickering and come /on!/ Stop wasting time, dammit!"

L held a hand up to his cheek, a bit upset by Ciel's outburst. "Tomino's Hell," he reminded the boy gravely before shoving his hands into his jean pockets.

"We are in Japan for no reason other than to watch the Kira investigation. I made arrangements ahead of time for an apartment; Mr. Phantomhive, I request that you stay in Japan with me and help me determine who the real killer is. I know it is Light Yagami, but we can never be too sure. I will not be present physically for part of the time, as I have class to attend; however, I will always be watching and seeing if I can determine who Kira is. I cannot legally act, of course, but I believe that knowing who it is will lead Near to the same conclusion as me."

Ciel sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, fine... I'll do it. But I swear, if one of those damn demon things tries to kill me and no one can fight it off, I'm leaving."

"Believe me, they will, and believe me, nobody can." L began to totter away in the direction of the apartment. "Come on, then; we haven't any time to waste."

"So in other words, we're all going to die," Ciel huffed, very aggravated as he followed after L. "Great. Can't wait."

"Your enthusiasm strikes me as fake," L replied, reaching the apartment complex.

It wasn't a regular apartment building, but rather, one of those buildings that had separate buildings for each apartment to make it seem like a house.

"Six bedroom, one bathroom, two kitchens," L said dryly as he unlocked the door to their building. "Nobody will be dealing with washroom demons... hopefully. I also took the liberty of having security cameras installed; nobody is to enter the fifth room for that purpose." The fifth room is my room. Enter and I will kill you, no matter the punishment.

Ciel rolled his eyes and stalked over to one of the couches, sitting down on it. Sebastian sat beside him, and the servants all bounded around to explore.

And Grell laid over the top of the couch like a cat or something.

"Off the couch," L snapped at Grell, grabbing him by the shoulders and shoving him to the ground. "Or I will summon something to terrible you will not be able to defend anyone against it." And with that, he began tottering throughout the rooms, checking the cameras and making sure the wiretaps were also in place.

Grell growled in annoyance at that, standing and leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Tch... you think I care if they get killed and eaten?" he huffed, rolling his eyes. "Well, I don't."

"By 'anyone'," L grunted from down the hall, "I mean everyone. This includes you, Mr. Sutcliff."

"A shinigami can't be killed without a death scythe."

"Maybe I'll kill you with my death scythe, then."

"You don't have one yet."

"I can easily come across one."

"No, actually, you can't. You have to complete training first and fill out a permission form which must then be reviewed by the higher-ups, and they'll have to personally give you one."

"As I said before, I can easily come across one."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"No. You can't."

"Yes. I can."

"Keep on believing that, Lil' Lawly. It'll get you nowhere."

"Call me that again. I dare you."

"Would you rather be called Lawlipop?"

"Call me that. I dare you."

"Lawlipop."

"Clogged asshole."

"Panda's anus."

And that, my friends, is how L found himself beating the shit out of Grell.

And that, my friends, is how Grell found himself getting the shit beaten out of him by L, and the story of how Grell fell in love with yet another man.

L took off running, realizing what had happened. Nope. NOPE. NOPE. NOPE. NOPE. NOPE. NOPE.

Ciel and Sebastian just facepalmed, and Grell had a look of pure adoration on his face.

"So sexy..."

"HELP ME!" L exclaimed, grabbing Ciel and shoving him in front of him like a barrier. "Get him away from me!"

"It was your own fault," Ciel snorted, rolling his eyes. "You shouldn't have started a fight."

"If I had realized that he would fall in love with me I would not have said anything," L replied, his eyes very wide. A look of horror crossed his face as it dawned on him what would happen next.

"I have to sit in a classroom with him-"

Sebastian just smirked at that, waving lightly at L. "Have fun."

L sighed, accepting his defeat. He walked away from both of them, his hands in his pockets as he returned to fixing up the technology in the apartment. This could actually come in handy.. if Grell is easily seduced, then he will be a useful pawn in my game against Kira. He can also retrieve a new Death Note for me, if I ask kindly enough... perhaps this is not such a bad thing after all.

A few hours soon passed, thankfully with no more arguments, and soon Ciel ended up getting a call from the Queen.

He had to go on a new case. This time, it had something to do with a circus troupe suspected of kidnapping children.

"Sorry, Ryuzaki," Ciel sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "I have to go on another case... I'm sure the Kira case will still be here when I get back, though. if you want, you can come with me, since I assume you won't have much else to do other than sit in training with Grell."

"Eh, okay," L agreed with a small frown. He had taken shelter underneath the sink from Grell. The shinigami stood and made his way over to Ciel.

"I dislike airplanes," he grunted. "Have your butler take you; I'll meet you there."

And with that, he took off, going to the shinigami realm and then using that as a shortcut to England. He waited for Ciel on the steps of the manor with his hands in his pockets.

After a few hours of travel, Ciel and Sebastian had also made it back to England... and thus began to events of Book of Circus. The next post shall be episode 1.

L greeted Ciel with a wave and walked over to him.

The post after Book of Circus episode one shall be the post in which Near and Mello and Light do their things.

The events of episode 1 then happened, and it was now episode 2, which means two days after the last post.

It was morning, and Sebastian and Ciel were on their way out the door, heading for their carriage. The three servants were right beside it, basically just to say goodbye to their master and head butler.

"How nice that the weather has cleared up," Sebastian commented with his usual smile. "It's the perfect day for a circus!"

In reality, they weren't going to the circus just to go there, but instead to investigate a case.

"Circuses are held in tents," Ciel stated sarcastically, eyes closed and mouth set in a light frown. "The weather is irrelevant."

Sebastian ignored the boy, soon turning his attention to the servants. "Bard, Finny, Mey-Rin, the young master and I will be staying in town for awhile."

"Take care of yourself, young master!" Bard said with a grin, saluting the boy.

"See you later~!" Finny chirped, waving.

"Please come back soon!" Mey-Rin added, holding up a handkerchief for whatever reason.

Sebastian and Ciel then boarded the carriage, and Ciel stopped on the steps. He then looked back over his shoulder at the servants.

"You three," he then called out to them with a deadpan expression. "Look after the place while I'm gone."

"Yes, my lord!" the servants all responded in unison. Ciel and Sebastian then set off towards the town of London, heading for the location of the circus.

L followed silently, watching them with a glint in his eyes.

Demegawa commanded Kira's followers to break into the SPK headquarters in New York, while Misa watched the scene on television, waiting to kill Near as soon as he exited the building. Near asked the Japanese investigation team to consider that Light may be Kira. He and the remaining SPK members then escaped the building by dropping buckets of money out of the windows to distract the protesters. Aware that his team is beginning to doubt his identity, Light e-mailed Misa with a new plan.

Meanwhile, Aizawa offered Near information about the past investigation that lead Near to conclude that Light was Kira. Aizawa told Light that he would like to resume surveillance on Misa and him to help clear their names. Light did not object. Demegawa appeared on television soon after, asking Kira's followers to donate money to build a temple to worship Kira. Disgusted that Demegawa was exploiting the situation, Light had Teru Mikami, the new owner of Misa's Death Note whom Light selected based on his appearances in "Kira's Kingdom", kill the television host. Back at the investigation team headquarters, Aizawa realized that with both Light and Misa under observation, the new killings could not be attributed to either of them.

Ciel and Sebastian headed towards one of the Scotland Yard's libraries, to get some documents or some shit idek.

"It's convenient that Sir Arthur is out," Ciel commented with a small smirk, as he stalked through the building, and Sebastian looked through a book.

"Please, stop!" Abberline, one of the Scotland Yard members begged. "If the Commissioner finds out..."

"Just make sure he doesn't, then," Ciel responded plainly with a deadpan expression.

"Listen, this is the third floor!" Abberline exclaimed. "How did you get in here?!"

"Well, Sebastian?" Ciel then called, completely ignoring Abberline.

"No bodies have been found that match the missing reports," Sebastian then responded, standing up.

"We'll leave when you're finished copying," Ciel stated. "And we might as well borrow the photos."

"You can't do that!" Abblerline hissed, holding up his hands.

"If you get found out, just say I took them," Ciel huffed curtly.

"That'd get me in /more/ trouble!" Abberline protested, looking stressed.

"Listen, hm... Underline, is it?" Ciel then said, much to Abberline's annoyance.

"It's Abberline!" the man exclaimed, as Ciel then stalked over to him.

"You've been a great help. We appreciate your cooperation."

Sebastian then stalked right up and plopped coins in the other man's hand, and he quickly grabbed the butler's hand before he could pull away. "I'm not for sale!" he barked, glaring at the demon. "..I just want to do whatever it takes to bring them home!"

"'Whatever it takes', eh?" Ciel commented, walking past him. "Very flexible of you... You have a bright future."

Abberline soon found himself holding a mop instead of the money Sebastian had given him, and quickly turned to face the retreating forms of Ciel and his demon. "H-Hey!"

"Hurry up and get yourself promoted, Abberline."

Meanwhile, tragic events in Teru Mikami's childhood convinced him that God wanted him to stand up to evil. As a result, when criminals everywhere began to die, Mikami believed that it was God's righteous judgment, and became a frequent guest on "Kira's Kingdom". After Light gave him a Death Note, Mikami became ecstatic and passed judgment on criminals in Light's stead. He chose a new spokesperson for Kira: Kiyomi Takada, who happened to be one of Light's girlfriends in college. Light realized that he could use this connection to his advantage and set up a meeting with Takada, presumably for the benefit of the investigation. While the two met, Takada received a call from Mikami and Light revealed himself to Mikami as Kira. They created a ploy to force the investigation team to remove all bugs from the room, after which Light told Takada that he wanted her to be his goddess in the new world. Light then told the investigation team that he would be pretending to be Takada's boyfriend to catch Kira. Elsewhere, Mello watched Misa, suspecting her to be the second Kira.

And during all of this, L just sat about, watching the events of Kuroshitsuji unfold. He had, of course, visited with the Japanese gods of death and had gotten himself a new Death Note. The laws were different this time, however; only those (humans) who touched his Death Note would be able to see him. Any and all demons or gods of death would be able to normally see him, and he had slipped a piece of the notebook into Ciel's hand, making the boy able to see him as well.

He remained invisible to anyone else, however, and he liked it. He could get away with things he normally would be unable to, and it was a sort of freedom for him.

Ciel and Sebastian now walked through the streets, side-by-side.

"It seems as though they're still being treated like missing people," Sebastian commented as they walked.

"By respectable society, perhaps," Ciel responded. "But someone in the underworld may have already disposed of them."

The two then got into their carriage, and Sebastian turned to gaze over at Ciel. "Will we be visiting him again to find out, then?"

"I'd really rather not, but it seems as if we must," Ciel responded dryly.

The two soon arrived at that familiar building: the little funeral parlor owned by Undertaker.

The two then entered, and Ciel began gazing around the room, as Sebastian held the door open, and took note of all the dozens of little candles strewn throughout the darkened room. "...Are you here, Undertaker?"

A creepy laughter was soon heard, which Ciel had certainly grown used to over the years.

"Welcome, my lord~!" a familiar voice echoed. A skull then rolled between an aisle of candles, right towards Ciel. He leaped back from it, a bit startled, and Undertaker then showed himself, sitting near a window behind the boy. "Is today the day you'll condescend to enter one of my special coffins~?"

"Look, you-" Ciel started to snap at the man, turning to face him. Undertaker then stood and cut him off.

"Please, have a seat, I have a batch of cookies fresh from the oven.~"

Near went to Japan, allegedly as bait for Kira, and Light silently accepted the challenge. Near pondered on how to beat Light, knowing that the one who is doing his will has shinigami eyes and that the two communicate via Takada. Following Light's instructions, Takada asked Mikami to send her five pages of the Death Note. She told him that he would continue his work in a fake book made to look like the real one. While walking to a broadcast, Misa ran into Takada and rushed her, jealous that she was not the most popular star. Halle Lidner, who had been sent by Near to act as Takada's bodyguard, stopped her then, but Takada met with Misa for a girl-to-girl talk soon after. Lidner sat in with them. By the end of the conversation, Takada was convinced that Misa was stupid and Lidner reported to Near about the love triangle between Light, Takada and Misa. Elsewhere, SPK member Stephen Gevanni confirmed that Mikami was the new Kira, after watching him kill a man by writing something in a notebook.

L watched the shinigami interacting with Ciel and Sebastian with a slight frown. Mr. Undertaker, are you willing to share your cookies with a fellow God of Death?

Undertaker then stood, chuckling, and stalked away towards the kitchen, passing right by L. He then turned to him briefly, a wide grin on his face that went un-noticeable by Sebastian and Ciel. The old shinigami held a finger up to his lips, in a 'shhhhh' gesture, and then made a tiny 'follow me' movement, before disappearing through the hall into the kitchen.

L followed with a deadpan expression, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. What is it, Mr. Undertaker? Do you have something to tell me? Tha man remained silent as he walked quickly behind the older God of Death.

As they reached the kitchen, Undertaker then closed the door behind them, turned to L with a grin, and held a cookie out to him.

"Now, I bet you're wondering why I brought ya back here, eh~? Eheheh, well, I've heard of you. You're that new guy with the Death Note- I've heard rumors from the Dispatch about'cha all the time. Heard that no human can see ya without touchin' that notebook of yours," he chuckled, cocking his head to the side. "I bet you can sense what I am just by my general... aura, I guess you could call it, hmm? Well, I've also heard you're a big one for sweets- which is another reason I've brought you. See, I can't exactly give them to you out there in front of the little Phantomhive boy and that butler of his.~"

L accepted the cookie, biting into it quietly. "I'm a quarter Japanese," the shinigami explained in a deadpan voice. "...and a quarter Russian, and a quarter Russian.. you get the jist. This enables me to access the Japanese realm of the shinigami whenever I choose. I hope that explains my Death Note." He took another bite of the sweet. "And, yes; you are quite obviously a shinigami. I don't think you could ever pass off as a human. Thank you for the cookie, though- it is very, very appreciated."

"You'd be surprised," Undertaker chuckled in amusement. "The little Earl has no idea that I'm actually a shinigami, and to be honest I'd like to keep it that way... There's no telling what the butler knows, though."

He then grinned, pulling up the fringes of his hair to reveal his bright green/yellow eyes. "One thing that makes me more easy to pass off as human is the fact I don't wear glasses, and keep these hidden. All shinigami wear glasses and have these eyes.~"

"I would love to be able to not wear glasses," L murmured, tracing a finger along the rim of his. "They're confusing."

"Aye, that comes with a price though," Undertaker commented. "Seeing can be very difficult at times- we shinigami are very nearsighted. It can cause issues, especially if you're on the job. Though lucky for me, I'm retired, heheh.~"

L nodded, taking the last bite of his cookie. "I suppose so," he murmured. "I may have asked the Japanese shinigami for one too many favors, but.. if I were to ask them for something, it would be for the ability to see without glasses. These things are repulsive."

"I think they actually look quite nice on you," the elder shinigami chuckled in amusement. "At least ya don't have a big scar on your face!"

"I have far worse scars than that," L replied coldly. "But none of that information will reveal my identity, I can assure you. Shall we.. return to the others? I'm afraid they may become suspicious and will catch on quickly that you are a supernatural entity should they find that you are able to see me without having touched the Death Note." He held his hand out towards the door. "After you, Mr. Undertaker."

Undertaker nodded and exitted the kitchen, holding the plate or pot or whatever the hell the cookies were in. He soon sat himself down by the Earl and his butler once again, and they began to discuss what the two had come for.

L also took a seat, putting his feet up as usual. Mr. Undertaker, you are certainly an interesting soul. I look forward to getting to know you on a personal level.

"Children's bodies, hmmmm?" Undertaker affirmed as he spoke with the Earl. He sat on a coffin, casually munching on his cookies, which were shaped like bones but tasted like any normal cookie.

"Regular society regards them as missing, and no corpses have turned up," Sebastian stated, expression deadpan.

"Well, dead children are an everyday affair in the underworld," Undertaker remarked, munching on a bone cookie. "I'm sure you know that well, my lord."

Ciel then sat up more straightly. "I've brought their information. Did you 'take care' of any of these children?"

Sebastian then handed Undertaker a stack of papers, which the shinigami began examining. "Hmmm, did I?"

He then began to grin a small bit. "I feel as though I could remember if I saw something entertaining...~"

Sebastian and Ciel just stared at Undertaker with deadpan, annoyed expressions, while Undertaker spoke again: "You know what I want, my lord.~ Give it to me! Give me prime laughter~! Do that, and I'll tell you anything~!"

He then rolled over onto his back, grinning up creepily at Ciel, making little spider-like hand gestures in the boy's face. Ciel growled lightly in annoyance and turned to his butler. "Sebastian!"

Sebastian then began to absentmindedly messing with his glove, while Undertaker seemed quite amused.

"Oh, you're relying on him?" the shinigami teased, still keeping that crazy grin of his, as he then sat up, leaning against the coffin and lightly tilting his hat downwards. "Aren't you able to do anything without your butler, my lord?"

Ciel was quite irked by this, and had a very, very annoyed expression on his face as Undertaker turned to look over his shoulder at him with a comment: "Well, anyone entertaining will do, really.~"

Ciel then set his walking stick thing down, resting it against the coffin and facing Undertaker. "I'll do it," he hissed, seeming unhappy about it.

"Will you now~?" Undertaker chuckled, grinning as Ciel then pointed his finger angrily at Sebastian, and also subsequently at L. "You, get out! And do /not/ peek inside! That's an order!"

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian responded with a light bow. The demon then turned and exited the funeral parlor, standing right outside.

"Sorry, Mr. Phantomhive, but I'm staying right here," L replied casually, relaxing on top of one of the coffins. "If Mr. Undertaker can see, then I can, as well."

A few hours then passed, and night soon came. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Undertaker laughed. When Sebastian finally poked his head in, Undertaker looked very amused, and Ciel was panting, disheveled, and had his overcoat off. It is unknown what he did, but Undertaker was quite amused, commenting with: "Ah, I never imagined the Earl Phantomhive would go /that/ far!"

"What in the world did you do?" Sebastian then asked.

"Don't ask."

L looked very disturbed, still sitting on top of one of the coffins. "Mr. Phantomhive... I think I would have preferred being told what you were going to do beforehand. That was most unexpected."

Sebastian chuckled and bent down, beginning to re-tie the ribbon around Ciel's neck. "Still, if you're willing to put on a show for the Queen's sake... you really are a dog."

"Shut it, you!" Ciel huffed, turning once again to face Undertaker. "There, I've paid your fee. Now tell me about the children!"

"They're nowhere," Undertaker stated simply, causing Ciel and Sebastian to stare at him in wide-eyes confusion.

"None of them were my customers, and there aren't any rumors, either," the shinigami continued with amusement.

"In other words, you don't know a think about this?" Ciel questioned, stepping closer to the coffin in which Undertaker was using like a desk.

"I beg to differ. I know that I /don't/ know."

"True, if /you/ don't know, then that means no one in the Underworld killed them," Sebastian muttered, looking thoughtful.

"If their bodies haven't been found in either circle, they're still alive," Ciel then stated. "In which case, I suppose our only choice is to personally investigate that circus."

He then stood, grabbed his walking stick, and began to walk away. "We'll go there straight away, Sebastian. Undertaker, contact me if your hear anything."

They soon reached the door, but were soon interrupted by Undertaker, staring intently at them. "My lord..." he murmured, grinning eerily. "Each of us only gets one soul... Take good care of yours.~"

"I know that," Ciel huffed simply, and he and his butler soon left.

L also followed the two, but before he left he turned his head around to look at Undertaker out the sides of his eyes.

"Keep yourself safe," he murmured. "There are some things in this world that even a God of Death cannot defend himself against."

And with that, he stepped out the door, closing it behind him and following the boy and his butler.

"So this is it," Ciel murmured as he and his butler walked through the crowd near the entrance to the circus. He and Sebastian gazed around as they watched, taking note of all the fair-like things around them.

They soon entered the tent, taking their seats near the back row.

"It's quite elaborate," Sebastian commented, gazing around at the tent.

"Yes... but no more so than any other circus," Ciel responded, sitting down.

They then turned their eyes towards the arena-like area, where a spotlight then lit up the area in which a strange-looking man stood. He had orange hair, was dressed like a ringleader, and also... had a skeleton arm.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" the man called out, looking cheerful, as he then gave a light bow, holding a bunch of little juggling balls between his fingers. "Welcome to Noah's Ark Circus~!"

He then began to juggle the little balls, which was quite a strange thing to see from a man with nothing but bones for an arm. "My name is Joker, pleased to meet 'ee!"

As he said that, he then stopped his juggling and bowed, allowing the balls to fall onto his head, then to the ground, and the crowd laughed in amusement.

He then lightly opened his mouth, and a ball was suddenly in it, which he then plucked out with a little grin. He then clutched it in his skeleton hand, and when he opened it again, the ball was gone.

"A prosthesis?" Ciel commented quietly, watching the strange man.

"Tonight you'll see performances that will stun and amaze 'ee~!" Joker then announced with a grin. Some other people then gathered around him, darkened until the light filtered down on them. There were six in total shown: A young boy and girl, sitting on the little trapeze swings, a teenage-looking boy with yellow-orange hair, with black fringers, a girl with a large white rose wig, a girl with poofy black hair, and a man with snakes wrapped all around him.

"And now, with a great broze from our firing breathing Jumbo, the show of century begins!" Joker chirped, and then a huge man stood up from behind him, suddenly blowing fire from a torch-like thing, causing the other troop members to quickly scramble away from the line of fire.

The acts then began, one after the other.

"First are our trapeze artists, perfectly in tune with eachother: Peter and Wendy~!"

The two in question did a bunch of trapeze maneuvers as Joker spoke, and the crowd applauded them.

"Our knife thrower, the perfect shot who never misses his target: Dagger!"

The blonde-haired male with the black fringes began tossing daggers at a spinning wheel, with a woman strapped to it. All of his shots landed perfectly on the wheel's edges, and the woman was unharmed.

"And now, a beautiful dance by that rarest of rarities, our own serpent man, Snake!"

The man with the snakes was shirtless, standing with his arms outwards, yet bended, as snakes slithered across his shoulders and wrapped themselves around him. He was covered in small scaley patches in some spots of his skin, and was also quite emaciated-looking.

"Their acts are fairly standard," Ciel commented as the show went on, with a deadpan expression on his face, as usual.

"Yes... and they don't seem to be forcing the children to perform," Sebastian responded, also watching closely.

"And next, look above ye, ladies and gents!" Joker then called out, gesturing above him, towards the cieling. The girl with the white rose hair was now doing a tightrope act.

"A death-defying tightrope walk by the circus princess, Doll!"

"If they didn't intend to force the children to perform," Ciel murmured, slightly confused. "Could it be a coincidence that the disappearances were along the circus's route?"

At the end of Doll's tightrope act, Joker spoke once again: "Last but not least, the star of our troupe!"

A fire ring was now set in place, and the black-haired woman was in the ring, with a tiger, which leaped through the fiery ring. "I bring 'ee the famous tamer of wild cats, Beast!"

As her name was said, Beast propped one of her feet up on the tiger's shoulder as it laid itself down.

Joker then began to speak once again. "We'd love some audience participation for this act, are there any volunteers?"

"No children in the final act, either," Ciel huffed, still watching them. "This was a waste of time."

And then Sebastian suddenly stood, and Ciel gazed up at him with slight confusion. "What is it, did you find some-"

He was then cut off by Joker. "This gent in the tailcoat sure looks eager! Please, come on stage! Step right up, sir."

Sebastian then made his way down, as Ciel watched in silence. /So that's it... this is a chance to make contact. Go. The only way to find a clue to these mysterious disappearances is through this circus./

Sebastian then stepped over the rope surrounding the ring. /Still, you may have made contact, but how exactly do you plan to investigate when all eyes are on you?/

"Now, if you'll just lie down here-" Joker began to instruct, but Sebastian walked right on past him... and straight up to the tiger. He began to pet it, kneeling down and getting all up in its face as he placed his hands under its chin, much to everyone's surprise.

"Ah, what lovely brown eyes you have," the demon purred, staring into the tiger's eyes with a gentle expression, different from the deadpan one he'd held a moment before. "Soft ears..."

Ciel stared in bewilderment, jaws dropped as his butler fondled the tiger. /Oh, blast! Tigers are cats!/

"I've never seen such vivid stripes!" the demon continued, smiling at the large feline, as he rubbed its cheeks. "They're adorable."

Joker and Beast stared at the cat-obsessed butler, both of them sweatdropping and bewildered.

"Oh dear, your claws have gotten a bit too long... we'll have to groom them," Sebastian then stated, still speaking to the animal, beginning to play with its paws as Ciel buried his face in his palms. "And your paw pads are full and plump... very attractive~!"

The tiger then reared up... and grabbed Sebastian's face in its mouth, though it didn't bite nearly hard enough to actually hurt him or even leave a bite mark. Sebastian didn't even flinch, and merely blinked at it.

"Betty, let him go!" Beast then exclaimed, raising her whip, and began to bring it down on the tiger... only for Sebastian to grab the whip's lashing end in his hand, as it wrapped around it.

"She hasn't done anything wrong," the butler calmly stated as the tiger let go of his head, and he half-turned to face Beast. "I was so overcome by her charm that I behaved rudely, that's all. And..."

He held up his hand with the whip wrapped around it, as Beast stared at him with a bewildered expression. "...Indiscriminate whipping isn't enough to train her properly."

He now fully turned to face her, with his usual smile on his face... as the tiger then reared up and chomped the back of his head.

"Betty, spit him out this instant! He's dirty!" Beast exclaimed.

"Goodness, aren't you a tomboy, my dear?" someone unknown then commented, and it is unknown who they were referring to.

L smirked, having followed Sebastian into the ring. He watched the demon with his hands stuffed inside his jean pockets.

"Not five minutes into the act and already you decide to cause trouble," he commented casually. "How impressive."

Soon, the act was over, and Ciel and Sebastian now wandered around the circus outside of the tent.

"I didn't tell you to go /that/ far!" Ciel hissed at Sebastian, looking very aggravated.

"My apologies, my lord," Sebastian responded with a wide, happy grin. He was practically sparkling. "I've lived many years, but cats are such whimsical creatures, I still can't quite read their moods."

"What was the point of attracting un-necessary attention-" Ciel began to say, before suddenly sneezing. "You know I'm allergic to cats! Stay far back!"

Sebastian stayed put while Ciel went ahead a bit, and was then suddenly approached by Joker.

"Oh, there 'ee be!" the man greeted, running up towards him. "You there, in the tailcoat!"

Sebastian turned to face him, a deadpan expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry about what happened, sir!" Joker exclaimed, reaching Sebastian.

"No, please, I apologize," Sebastian responded, blinking.

"Gave me quite a scare, traipsing up to the tiger like that!" Joker chuckled. "All right? We have a doctor on staff. Better let him take a look at 'ee, I reckon. Please, come on back."

Ciel watched the exchange from behind another small tent, and Sebastian grinned lightly at the orange-haired man, responding: "I don't mind if I do."

Sebastian soon followed after Joker, being led through a line of small tents.

"Right this way," Joker stated as he led the demon. "Sorry it's so filthy."

They soon came close to the snake-man, Snake, who was sitting on a crate.

"Ah, Snake! Is the doc in the medical tent?" Joker asked the other man.

The man didn't respond, but one of his snakes pointed its tail in a random direction, and Joker nodded lightly at it.

"Oh, maybe he's making his rounds," the ringleader said as he continued to lead Sebastian.

"Say, isn't that the guy who got bitten by the tiger?" the female trapeze artist, Wendy, commented as they passed.

"That's him. Stupid guy!" Peter responded, rolling his eyes.

Joker and Sebastian ignored both of them, and they soon arrived at a tent. Joker pulled the entrance open, gazing in, catching sight of a few people, including a wheelchair-bound man in a doctor's outfit.

"Good, there he is!" Joker exclaimed, grinning. "Doc!"

The doctor turned to face Joker, cocking his head to the side.

"Hello, Joker, is your hand acting up again?" the man questioned, and Joker held up his hand.

"Nah, today, I've got someone else-"

Dagger then stood up, pointing at Sebastian. "It's you! You're the one who just got bitten by Betty!"

"Betty?!" the doctor then exclaimed, a shocked expression on his face. "That's terrible. We've got to get you to the infirmary!"

L was not amused. "They seem to be overreacting," he commented, standing beside Sebastian. "The tiger did not have any noticeable diseases, but... perhaps she did." The shinigami shrugged. "Ah, whatever."

The doctor was soon inspecting Sebastian, and seemed to be pretty confused.

"Did you really get bitten by a tiger?" he questioned skeptically. "I don't see any wound..."

Sebastian then sat up, practically beaming. "Just an affectionate nip."

"...Affectionate?" Joker and Dagger said in unison, with confused expressions. "..Nip?"

"Well, I'm just glad you're alright," the doctor stated.

"Too true! I was afraid the troupe leader'd kill me for letting a customer get hurt!" Joker exclaimed.

Sebastian then looked over his shoulder at the orange-haired man. "You aren't the leader?"

"I'm more or less the hired replacement... the real one's scary!"

"Don't blame me if you get yelled at for saying that." -Dagger.

Beast then entered the tent. "Doctor, would you take a look at my leg-" she then stopped, glaring at Sebastian. "You!"

"I'm here for my leg, too~!" Dagger exclaimed, approaching Beast. "Yet more proof of the red thread of destiny between-"

"You're that dapper freak!" Beast exclaimed, cutting Dagger off and pointing at Sebastian. "What are you doing here?! You wrecked my show-"

"Beast!" the doctor explained, sending her a harsh look. "You can't talk like that to a guest! This isn't his fault, it's yours for not being able to control Betty!"

"But /he/ walked up to her without-"

"No buts! You're a pro, aren't you?"

"Now, Doc, please don't shout in front of our guest..." -Joker.

"That's right, please just forget this and check Miss's leg!" -Dagger.

The doctor sighed. "You'll be retraining Betty after this, Beast. is that clear?"

"Yeah." -Beast.

"Right, then. Now show me your prosthesis."

Beast stalked over to the examination thing, and the doctor wheeled after her, while Sebastian questionably remarked, "Prosthesis?"

"We're a bit of an irregular bunch here," Joker then stated. "We're a gathering place for people with certain problems. I'm missing an arm myself, but the Doc got me this fine replacement. Good looking, isn't it?"

"The design you picked is the reason you always need readjusting, you know," the doctor then commented to Beast, messing with her prosthetic leg. "Put yourself in my shoes!"

"Do you make the prosthesis for the circus, sir?" Sebastian then questioned.

"More or less," the doctor responded. "And it's a big job! I do everything, from carving the parts to final fitting."

"Carving them?" Sebastian commented, staring at the prosthetic leg. "Are they wooden, then?"

"Nope, ceramic," the doctor answered.

"Ceramic?"

"But I use special materials, so they're light and sturdy."

Sebastian then grabbed the prosthetic foot. "I see. They're quite smooth to the touch."

"Aren't they? And I use spherical parts in the joints, for nice fluid movements."

"This is truly fine work," Sebastian then commented... and he then promptly lifted up the leg, staring up at the spot where it connected to Beast's actual body. "Hmmm? What's this seal?"

Beast then got a very, very flustered look on her face, and kicked Sebastian away from here, screaming, "What are you doing, you pervert?!"

"Oh? I beg your pardon," Sebastian responded calmly, avoiding her kick by jumping backwards. "You didn't strike me as modest enough to be embarrassed by such trifles."

Beast glared intensely at him, and then took out her whip, and began whipping at him.. which he quickly and easily dodged, while the doctor exclaimed, "Oi, Beast, stop that! You two, stop her!"

And then Dagger joined in. "How /dare/ you lay a hand on my lady's fair and tender skin?! /I/ haven't even touched it yet!"

He began throwing daggers at Sebastian, who quickly and easily dodged each one. He then leaped up, landing perfectly on a cieling beam.

"I didn't actually touch her skin..." he remarked with a small smirk. "...But I do seem to have touched a nerve."

"Dagger, stop, you'll shred the tent!" -The doctor.

"Miss Beast's honor is more important than this tent!"

Dagger then tossed a huge bunch of daggers at the demon... who caught each and every one of them between his fingers, staring down at the others in the tent with a smirk.

"No way!" -Dagger.

"Don't get cocky!" Beast then exclaimed, whipping at the ground. She then whipped at the air, but Joker then backflipped, holding a long pole, over her line of fire, and the whip wrapped around it, causing her to stare at him in surprise.

"Ta-da~!" he then chirped, pulling out a few flowers to her. "All right, that's enough!"

"What?! No!" -Dagger.

"Here, Beast, don't be so scractchy." -Joker.

"Why didn't you stop them sooner?!" -The doctor.

"But he-" -Beast.

"Now, now.. It's such an 'ansome leg, I can understand why he'd want to touch it," Joker then purred, leaning up against Beast and stroking the leg. "Take these flowers and cheer up."

Beast then shoved him away and walked off with an annoyed huff, and Joker turned to Sebastian.

"That was mighty athletic, sir!" he chirped. "I reckon I'd hire 'ee!"

Sebastian then immediately got in Joker's face. "Is that true?" he questioned, staring intently. "Truth be told, my current master is so spoiled, I'm quite disgusted with him."

"Mr. Sebastian, your lies could use some work," L commented. He had taken a seat on one of the beams, and was lazily letting one of his legs dangle down from it. Apart from that, he was in his preferred position. "I do not think this group is intelligent enough to see through your charade, however, so please, continue."

"'Master'?" Joker then questioned, blinking. "Be thee a servant, then? I took 'ee for gentry, dressed up so fine.."

Meanwhile, Ciel sneezed from wherever he was.

"Me, gentry?" Sebastian chuckled in response. "Hardly. I am merely one hell of a butler. Now, was that true? If so, I'd very much like to join you."

"Not having me on, are 'ee?" -Joker.

"I never jest."

Joker then grinned widely and walked up to Sebastian, resting his hands on the other man's shoulders. "Lord, that's funny! Alright, me 'ansome. Sure, join us anytime!"

"Hey, Joker, you can't just decide that!" Beast hissed, stalking over to them and glaring at Joker.

"But he's got such talent!"

"Pardon me..." Sebastian then interrupted. "There's actually another person I'd like to introduce you you."

And Ciel sneezed again.

"If he's anything like 'ee, that's fine! But I reckon we'll give an entry test." -Joker.

"Very well. I'll come back tomorrow with him, then. Thank you all for your help today."

Sebastian then began to walk away, but was interrupted by Joker. "Oh, sir!"

"No need to show me out," Sebastian simply responded, exiting the tent and wandering around. "Now then..."

He continued walking, gazing around as he did so. /There were nine tents and ten carts before the medical tent. And further along, we have... some nicer tents. As long as I'm here, might as well inspect them./

He then leaped over the little rope thing. /I don't sense the children at all. But I /have/ been sensing something... Could it be..?/

Sebastian soon found himself with a snake hissing in his face, which was draped over the shoulders of none other than Snake, the snake-man.

"This area is off limits," he murmured, staring at Sebastian. "...Says Wilde."

"This man is weird," L commented immediately. "...says Ryuzaki."

Sebastian made a tiny little grin at the shinigami's comment, but it went undetected by Snake.

Another snake then reached out and hissed in Sebastian's face, pointing with its tail.

"The exits's that way," Snake then said in a higher-pitched voice. "...Says Goethe."

Sebastian then gave a wide, fake smile towards the snake-man. "You're too kind."

He then gave a light bow and turned his back, walking away from the man in the direction the snake had pointed to.

"He seems exactly as would be expected from a circus act, says Ryuzaki," L muttered to Sebastian. "You may want to investigate further, as it will surely come in handy, says Ryuzaki." He was still mocking Snake.

This entire circus is suspicious. Mr. Sebastian, I do not know if you could tell, but many of these performers appear to not be human... I may be wrong.

Sebastian rolled his eyes at Ryuzaki's antics, and only commented when they were too far away for Snake to hear. "Oh, stop that, Ryuzaki... he seems to be translating the words of those snakes of his."

A faint smile took light on L's face. "Aaah, a mannerism? I have plenty of those, and have heard far worse mockery. In any case... excuse me."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and continued heading for where he sensed Ciel to be. Derp.

L frowned. "Uh oh... here we go again." I'm having a feeling other than remorse, or aggrivation. "Mr. Sebastian, may I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" Sebastian questioned, shifting his gaze to L.

"Mr. Sebastian, why do people have feelings?"

Sebastian chuckled at the question and shrugged. "I'd suggest asking a human," he responded with a bit of amusement.

"But you have feelings, too," the shinigami replied plainly. "Surely you must be able to answer my question?" L frowned a bit. "You know, I understand human emotion to some extent. I really do. That's why I am able to manipulate my peers so easily. However.. my understanding for why humans feel emotion is very limited." The man looked up at Sebastian and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "Lying and manipulating others is looked down upon for some reason, but I find it useful, especially when working on a case. You are a terrible liar, Mr. Sebastian, and I will repeat those words as much as I have to in order to make you understand that you are a terrible liar."

Sebastian rolled his eyes at that. "That may be so," he responded casually. "However, my lies always work and always go undetected. I have no need for intricate, deep lies, as most humans are too unintelligent to figure out that I'm lying. Why even bother thinking up some huge, intricate lie when you can easily settle for a small one that will be believed by the humans you're lying to?"

"Intricate lies are amusing," L replied. "Unless the situation is dire, then intricate lies can keep someone entertained, especially in my case." The shinigami began sucking on a thumb. "Humans are stupid, you're right there. Especially Matsuda; his stupidity has become an expected occurrence. And since most humans are like Matsuda, they are fairly easy to trick."

Sebastian chuckled at that, looking amused as he mentally thought of all the stupidity he had to put up with from humans.

"Sounds like the servants," the butler then commented with a small smirk. "They can do nothing correctly... Finny uses way too much weed killer all over the garden, Mey-Rin always trips and breaks dishes, and one time she put /30/ cups of detergent in the washing machine, instead of 3... and Bard uses a flamethrower to cook."

"They sound better than Matsuda," L replied, his expression and voice both deadpan. His voice took up an arrogant tone as he recalled Matsuda's screw-up in the Yotsuba building.

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked him for a cup of coffee when he asked to be useful," the shinigami murmured. "Maybe then he wouldn't have completely screwed up our safety plans." His eyes widened slightly. "I had to dress up as a nurse in order to save him."

Sebastian snickered at that, imagining a screw-up human who was even more stupid than the servants.

"You know, I once had a contract with a person who was so stupid that their contract goal was to be able to make a hotdog."

L's expression instantly poker-faced.

"Well, uh.. wow. Even Matsuda wouldn't be that stupid." I won't judge that person, however. There are several factors that could build up to them being physically or mentally incapable of performing such a simple task. Mr. Sebastian, you amuse me.

"Needless to say, I devoured his soul two hours after the contract was made. It was hilarious... he actually thought that the contract was for life."

"Perhaps he simply did not want to live anymore." I do not understand; your life is your most valuable possession. Why give it up?

"No, he was stupid. He didn't even know how turn on the microwave."

L frowned at that. "Mr. Sebastian, must I remind you of your own stupidity?" You are ruling out all of the different factors, Sebas-chan.

Sebastian sent a light glare at the shinigami. "No, I'm being serious. He still lived with his mother and he was 35. He wasn't even toilet trained, and I had to explain to him how to press 'start' on the microwave literally 50 times before he understood. And the fact that he literally made a contract with a demon just to learn how to make a hot dog... which would be his last action in life. He also thought women had penises and he named me 'Mr. Fluffyhead.'"

"Sebas-chan, do not take my words lightly. From your descriptions, it sounds as though he was mentally unstable." In other words, mentally retarded.

"That's probably likely."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Bassy." And now... reactions.

"Please don't call me that," was all Sebastian said as he continued walking. "It reminds me of that other shinigami, and it's repulsive."

"Repulsive? I find it funny." L frowned, continuing to totter along after Sebastian. "Maybe we'll just stick with Mr. Sebastian."

"That works." /And that's what the servants call me, anyway./

L frowned at Sebastian's tone. "...don't underestimate me, Michealis. I could easily end your life should I decide to do so. Remember, no bars can keep me restrained."

"You have no scythe, and to add on to that, you are a newborn in terms of demonic or shinigami age. You can't defeat a senior demon."

L grinned creepily at that. "...we'll see," he replied. You and Mr. Sutcliff keep assuming that my threats are to be carried out immediately, if at all. People never fail to amuse me.

"And even if you're thinking of far into the future... you still can't beat a demon over a million years older than you."

"No, you're right. I cannot beat a demon over a million years older than me." Stupid Michealis; you do not realize what I have planned.

Sebastian rolled his eyes and kept on walking.

"Is Mr. Phantomhive around somewhere? I am... interested in asking him a question."

Sebastian turned to the other man with eyes lightly narrowed. "...Where do you think we're headed?"

"To investigate, which would be the wisest choice considering the fact that these performers are abnormal and suspicious?"

"No, I'm heading for the young master's location so I can report the details of what just happened to him, and we will then infiltrate the circus undercover as performers. We'll investigate them among their own ranks."

"You have a shinigami who cannot be seen by anyone unless they touch his notebook," L replied, a bit exasperated. "But if you want to go full-out, please, don't let me get in your way."

"You have training still, and plus, this is my master's case... not yours. I actually enjoy going undercover, to be honest, as does he."

"That sounds like a personal challenge, something I cannot deny."

Sebastian rolled his eyes at that.

They soon arrived where Ciel was, in the carriage, and the events of episode 3 began.

"Report," Ciel commanded.

"I'm afraid I was interrupted before I made a full circuit of the camp," the butler responded. "I'd like to penetrate a bit deeper into their organization, but I have a request for you in that regard..."

"What?"

A few hours later, Sebastian and Ciel were now in the townhouse, with Ciel very aggravated.

"I'm asking you why that suddenly became the plan!" the Earl barked, glaring at Sebastian. "When did I order you to say that?!"

"Does it inconvenience you, my lord?"

Ciel sighed at that. "...Well, we'll argue about it later," he huffed. "I'm exhausted. I want to go straight to bed."

"Certainly, but..."

And then suddenly none other than Soma burst in. "Ciel!" he chirped, with a huge-ass shit-eating grin on his face. "Ciel, I'm so glad you're here! I've been waiting and waiting!"

"Welcome home, Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian," Agni then added, walking in behind Soma.

"Right, I forgot you were here," Ciel sighed, resting his hand on his forehead.

"Ciel, it's been too long~!" Soma then exclaimed, rushing over and tightly hugging the boy. "How have you been?!"

"He's been very, very busy," L replied casually, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and knowing full well that the others would be unable to hear him. "You see, Mr. Phantomhive has taken on a case, and he refuses my offers to help, as evidenced." His tone was a bit curt; something inside of him was still upset about his premature death.

Ciel completely ignored L, as Soma continued to fondle him. Finally, the Indian backed up, still grinning. "I didn't expect you at the townhouse so early! Did you miss me that badly? Poor lonely Ciel!"

"Sorry, but I'm tired. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," Ciel stated bluntly, turning his back on the two and making his way up the stairs.

"What?!" Soma exclaimed, following after Ciel and resting his hands on the boy's shoulders, much to his annoyance. "But I've been so excited to challenge you to that 'chess' game of yours! Don't you care about dashing my hopes?"

Ciel grit his teeth at that, looking extremely pissed, like he was about to turn around and murder the man.

"/No!/" he hissed, yanking away from Soma and continuing on his way.

"What's wrong, Ciel?! You look so grumpy!" Soma whined. "We finally get to see eachother again, so at least smile a little!"

Ciel then whipped around with a very angry expression.

"Shut it!" he snapped, glaring intensely at the Indian. "I'm /tired/! So keep quiet!"

Soma's face turned into a sad little puppy face, and he looked down at the ground. "Right..." he murmured, before looking up at Ciel again. "You won't attract good fortune if you don't smile, you know!"

Ciel completely ignored him, and Agni came up, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Your Highness..."

"They're still smarter than Matsuda," L commented dryly, getting into Ciel's face. "It could always be much, much worse."

Ciel ignored the shinigami, merely shoving past him and continuing up the stairs. The young Earl was certainly not in the mood to put up with anyone's shit.

"Mr. Phantomhive, it's a pity you're so upset," the shinigami grunted, following Ciel with his hands shoved inside his oversized jean pockets. "Why don't you drink some tea? Or... share a slice of cake with me? Surely then you will feel better?-"

Ciel didn't respond, and he finally reached the bedroom, removing his coat. Sebastian entered soon after.

"That pair is as lively as ever," the demon commented as he carried some sort of clothes or something over his arm.

"I'll give /them/ up as a bad job, but your plan is a different matter," Ciel huffed, sitting down on the bed. "Why should I be forced to join the circus, too?"

"You aren't being 'forced to join'," Sebastian responded, looking over his shoulder at the boy. "You're passing a test and getting them to admit you."

"You joining should be enough," Ciel huffed in response as Sebastian stalked over and began undressing him. "I /don't/ fancy living in a tent."

"Are you sure, my lord?" Sebastian questioned in response, quirking a brow. "Have you forgotten? This is your game. You don't mind me, your chess piece, deciding my own moves?"

"I suppose you're right," Ciel huffed. "But circuses require /tricks/, don't they? I can't do any."

"Oh? But you seem so good at 'stay' and 'fetch'," Sebastian teased, stalking away from the boy for a moment to set his coat down somewhere.

"What?" Ciel growled lightly, glaring at the demon.

"Pardon me, my lord. At any rate, do your best at your entrance test tomorrow." The demon then turned back to Ciel, smiling at him. "As your butler, I'll give you my heartfelt support."

Ciel sighed, staring down at the ground for a moment. "Fine... I'll join, too."

"Very good, my lord.~"

"Mr. Sebastian is correct," L commented, laying halfway on and halfway off the bed. His head was down near the floor, and he stared at the wall with a bored expression. "I'm afraid, Mr. Phantomhive, that you are no better than a dog." He paused. "You do know, of course, that I will be joining you in the circus? I may even let a few people touch my Death Note. Now, wouldn't that be entertaining?"

Ciel then promptly flicked L off, flopping down onto the bed, now dressed in nightclothes. He then fell asleep, completely ignoring the annoying shinigami.

L huffed in annoyance, turning to look at Sebastian. "Isn't this nice? Mr. Phantomhive appears to be in a bad mood." He frowned. "Do you happen to know when I have shinigami class? I don't want to be late, of course, and... this is boring."

"No, I'm not a shinigami," Sebastian responded. "And if you're bored, why not go do something interesting?"

MEANWHILE:

Grell was drunk and pissing all of his coworkers off.

L rolled his eyes with a drawn-out huff. "I suppose I could quickly visit Mr. Sutcliff and see what's happening..." And with that, he went to the shinigami realm... and immediately regretted it.

"Oh, bother," he groaned as he faced the scene before him. "Mr. Sutcliff, I believe you may have had one too many drinks..."

"Willllllllllllllllllllll~!" the red-haired shinigami purred, wobbling around and swaying over to the stoic reaper. "Willlllll, lemme... Lemme cuddle yer fluffy head~!"

"Mr. Sutcliff, for the last time, no," Will responded plainly. "You will not touch me with your filthy drunken self."

"But Willlllllll~! Don't'cha... luffffff meeeee~?"

"No."

"Willllllll!"

"No."

"Pweaseeee?"

"No."

L's shoulders sagged even further. "Mr. Sutcliff, you are as stupid as Matsuda," he commented rather loudly. "Perhaps this will work. If not, fellow shinigami, please excuse the disturbance; I am simply trying to make Mr. Sutcliff shut up and sit down." With that, he tottered over to the shinigami and whipped him around to stare him in the eyes.

His accent changed to the very one he had used with Matsuda in the Yotsuba building.

"Eeeeeeeey, Grell! Ya free to go out drinkin' some more?~"

Grell whipped around with a wide grin, and suddenly flung himself at L, glomping him. "HEeeeeyyyyy, Lawly~!" he chirped, grinning widely. "D'awwww, you're sucha cuddly lil' teddy bear...~"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeey! Finally came to yer senses, huh? Hahahaa! C'mon, buddy, let's go get ourselves some strong ones!~" L's voice may have been carefree, but his expression definitely wasn't; if anything, it was aggravated.

"YEA~!" Grell slurred in response, standing and grinning at L. "Les'go~! YAYYY FOR... Yay for DRINKIN' N' SHIT!"

"Yeaaaaa!" And with that, L grabbed Grell's arms and began dragging him away. You need to lose weight, Mr. Sutcliff; you're heavier than a horse. He finally succeeded in transporting them both back to Ciel's room. The shinigami whipped around to face Sebastian and shoved Grell towards him.

"Okay, Bassy; you told me to 'go do something interesting', so... I did."

"...L. Get that damn shinigami out of here before I kick your ass."

"I apologize, Mr. Sebastian, but this is very entertaining."

And then Sebby threw Grell out the window, and the drunk shinigami passed out when he faceplanted on the ground.

"That was worth my time," L commented, unable to fight back the small smile that was forming on his face. "Mr. Sebastian, would you like to meet Mr. Babadook?" Come on. I'm bored. Very bored. Boredom is new to me.

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Because I don't."

"That's a terrible answer, Mr. Sebastian."

"I'm aware."

"Would you like to meet Matsuda? Or any of the other Task Force members?"

"No."

L's face darkened as a horrible thought came to mind. He began chewing on his thumb, and an aura of deep sadness surrounded him.

"Would you like to help me find Naomi Misora's body?"

"No."

"Mr. Sebastian... go find yourself a cat." And with that, L tottered over to the window and climbed out of it before dropping to the ground, uninjured. He grabbed Grell by the hair and lifted him up.

"Eey, Grelly, wanna go drinkin' summore?"

Grell was completely unconscious, and so he didn't respond. But he did piss himself.

"You're a useless piece of human waste," L grunted, throwing the shinigami aside and shoving his hands into his jean pockets before tottering away.

Ms. Misora, I am not going to give up until I find you. I promise.


	4. Bribery

**Chapter 4**

"...What the hell happened? Why am I out here?"

"Mr. Sutcliff, you were drunk. Enough said." L had found her body and had buried it.

She hung herself and burned herself at the same time. Just like Beyond Birthday.

His eyes were heavy as he stared at the shinigami. L was sitting atop a marble pillar, and was fiddling with something: Naomi's locket.

Even he was not above stealing for personal enjoyment.

A very pissed look then crossed Grell's face. "That little lowlife son of a fucking-INSERT NUMEROUS CURSES AND INSULTS HERE-!"

"Calm down, Mr. Sutcliff; we have class rather soon." L continued fiddling with the locket, his heart heavy and cold. "Mr. Sebastian threw you out of the window, which is why you are where you are."

Grell groaned in annoyance and pressed a hand to his face. "I hate my coworkers. I swear, when I get my hands on that damn ass that spiked my food, I'm going to cut off his head."

"No, you're not, because if you do I will personally step in," L replied somewhat bitterly. "You need to mature, Mr. Sutcliff. Come along now; class is starting, and you're the teacher."

And with that, he put the locket around his own neck, shoving it beneath his white shirt before disappearing to the shinigami realm.

Grell huffed and followed after the other shinigami, poofing into the classroom with an annoyed look on his face. Other students were also already there, since what classroom only has one student?

"Ugh, where the hell is Will?" the redhead huffed as he gazed around the room, not catching sight of the other shinigami that tended to help him with class. "Damn, looks like I'll be teaching this bunch of children on my own.."

"Children?" Lawliet frowned, kicking off his sneakers and putting his bare feet up on his desk's rim. "If we're children, Mr. Sutcliff, then why do you use such profanities around us? Please, save us our innocence!" His sarcastic remarks were rather loud.

The other students snickered at that comment, shit-eating grins on most of their faces.

Grell merely glared at all of them, eye twitching. "L, feet /down/ before I come over there and chop them off."

L groaned. "Mr. Sutcliff, I don't sit like this because I want to, I have to sit like this. If I were to sit normally, my deductive reasoning skills would drop by roughly 40%. Also... you know to call me 'Ryuzaki' in public."

Grell stared at L with a deadpan expression. He was not buying it. "...Whatever," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Okay, today, we're going to be doing a lesson on fuckin'.. cinematic records n' shit."

"Profanities," L reminded the other shinigami. He began to chew on his thumb.

"Shut up, or I will give you detention. I speak how I want."

"And I point out whatever I want. I have the rest of eternity, Mr. Sutcliff." He paused, a mischevious grin coming to his face. "Unless I am killed, of course."

The rest of the class continued to snicker in amusement at the exchange. None of them liked Grell, and watching their teacher get owned by a sarcastic trainee was hilarious to them.

"All of you, /quiet!/" Grell then commanded, glaring at all of them. "Or I will give each and every one of you a hundred years of detention!"

"And what, may I ask, will be keeping us from standing and leaving?"

"I will enchant the room with an invisible barrier."

"Interesting, because-" L stood and immediately exited, popping his head inside the classroom. "-I'm still able to just walk away."

And class continued in this disruptive and hilarious manner for 5 hours, until it was over and everyone was free to go. The entire class had ended up pinning Grell to the wall, playing "pin the tail on the Grell".

It was hilarious.

"Alright, friends, it's time for you all to resume your regular lives," L finally announced, grabbing Grell and slamming his head into the wall... casually. "I'm going to have a word with Mr. Sutcliff. Goodbye!"

The other students left the classroom, leaving Grell alone with L.

L turned to face Grell.

"If you find yourself wanting to punish me," he said casually, "I wish to let you know that there will be severe consequences for your actions."

Grell merely glared at him. "Oh? And what will those 'consequences' be? You can't punish a superior, brat."

"Punish? I did not say punish. I said consequences. Consequences have a far larger range than punishments."

"Elaborate on what these 'consequences' are."

"Say the magic wooord~," L replied, faking a grin and tapping his nose. Why should I? I give orders, not follow them.

"Suck my dick."

"I'm not gay, Grell."

"I didn't mean it literally. I was being sarcastic."

"I wouldn't have been surprised if you did mean it literally, Mr. Sutcliff, because you are as respectable as a prostitute." Did I really say that out loud? Hopefully he takes as much offense as intended.

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment."

"Trash."

"Panda-fucker."

"Slut."

"Man-whore."

"Female dog."

"Donkey."

"Pitiful excuse for a God of Death."

"Pitiful excuse for a detective."

L took a step back, his eyes narrowing. "I could solve far more cases than you in any situation. You are a pitiful person in general."

"So are you.~"

"At least I acknowledge it."

"At least I don't depend on an old man to do everything for me."

"Take that back," L growled. "Take that back right now. Right this minute. Watari is the only person I have ever cared about. You take that back."

"No.~"

What can I say that's a worse insult? He won't take offense to anything regarding sexuality or careers. Hmm...

"The way you dole over Sebastian is disgusting," L finally growled. "He will never accept your advances, you realize? He hates you." I'm stating the obvious.

"I'm aware.~"

"Then why do you bug him the way you do? Wishful thinking?"

"Aha... No. I actually am not attracted to him at all, bothering him is just incredibly amusing."

"Your lies suck," L replied plainly. "But.. I'd be lying if I said I did not find it amusing, as well."

"I'm not lying, actually; I hate demons. They're disgusting and smell bad."

"Mr. Sutcliff, take it from someone whose entire existence revolves around lies: you're lying."

"No, I'm not." He stared at L with a completely deadpan expression. "I hate Sebastian, he's a demon, which is repulsive. Why do you think I have death matches with him all the time and try to kill him?"

"You don't," L replied, his expression also deadpan. "And you're lying to me by saying you're not lying. How mature." What would be the purpose of lying about your love for Sebastian? Is this amusing to you somehow?

"And what makes you think I legitimately like him? I'm a shinigami, he's a demon. We're mortal enemies."

"You constantly pester him," L replied. "A look of pure adoration crosses your eyes every time you look at him. You gave him provocative nicknames, as well, and everything you do is based on your love for him."

"Hmph."

"Don't give me such a short answer, Mr. Sutcliff. Please confess to me your feelings for Sebastian; I don't take kindly to being lied to."

Grell glared harshly at the trainee shinigami, eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Ugh, /fine/," he huffed, turning his gaze away for a moment. "Yes, you imbecile- I like Sebastian. But who cares, it doesn't even matter. Like you said, that damned demon hates me, and our races are sworn enemies anyway so it's not like I'd ever have a chance. My emotions towards him, therefore, are completely meaningless and unimportant."

L frowned, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Sutcliff, no emotions are meaningless or unimportant. Come with me; I'd like to show you something." He began to totter away, a thumb stuck in his mouth. I'm going to put things into perspective for you.

Grell's face turned into an annoyed pout, but he followed after the other shinigami without a word.

L vanished and reappeared in a graveyard. He turned to glance at Grell.

"Mr. Sutcliff, I repeat: no emotions are meaningless or unimportant." His wide eyes narrowed. "Follow." He began to totter towards a specific row, and a specific stone.

Grell gave an aggravated sigh and followed after L, rolling his eyes as he did so.

"This woman," L said, stopping by Naomi Misora's gravestone. He read it aloud: "Beloved Fiancé and Daughter." He frowned. "Never was I able to express my thanks to her for her work on a certain case. She kicked me down a flight of stairs when I did." He began to walk away towards another grave. "Keep following me."

Grell continued following L, confused.

L stopped in front of another gravestone. "Quillsh Wammy," he read aloud. "Beloved Father, Inventor, Son, and Husband." He turned and began walking towards yet another gravestone. "Those titles were earned from emotions and feelings. Here, we have another. Thyis time, it's your turn to read it aloud."

Grell became extremely uneasy as he approached the next gravestone, and as he caught the words written on it, he went dead silent, staring at it.

"...Kito Sutcliff," he choked out after a moment, clenching his teeth together. "...Brother, son.."

This was the gravestone of Grell's brother, who had died when they were much younger. He was killed in a demon attack, during their early training years. He and Grell had been incredibly close, and so it tore the red-haired shinigami apart for quite a while when he died.

Grell felt his eyes begin to lightly water and quickly turned his head away, bringing his arm up and wiping his eyes. "..."

"Yes," L said quietly. "Yes. You tell me a bunch of bull about how unimportant your feelings and emotions are, but... do you know what, Mr. Sutcliff?" He frowned. "Feelings are mandatory. Without the ability to feel, well.. we'd be unable to feel the pain we inflict upon others, or the happiness we bring our friends. We would be wild, and inhuman."

Grell then turned his back on the gravestone, staring down at the ground. "And why are you showing and telling me this? Why even bother? You, like Sebastian, hate me, so why even bother wasting your time.."

"Because," L replied casually, "I don't hate you. I can never hate someone. I have no reason to hate you, Mr. Sutcliff; if anything, you remind me of a sibling."

Grell snorted at that comment. "You don't mean that."

"Do you need further convincing?"

"And what would this 'further convincing' be? Lawly, you've made it quite obvious that you harbor an intense dislike of me."

And with that comment, L awkwardly walked forward and gave Grell a hug. "I do harbor an intense dislike of you, but not in that sense," he muttered, pulling away as his joints cracked. "Oww..." He rubbed at his knees and elbows in a desperate attempt to remove the pain from those areas. "My apologies, Mr. Sutcliff; nerve damage." He glanced up at the shinigami. "What else can I do to convince you that you remind me of a sibling?"

Grell was quite surprised when L actually /hugged/ him, and when L let go, he backed away with a flustered look. "Alright, alright, I'm convinced!" he huffed, turning his gaze away and crossing his arms over his chest. "Just, eh... Look, don't you have a brat to watch?"

"...brat? No, I don't. And, please, stop acting so flustered; you are the first person I have hugged in twenty years, if that makes you feel any better."

"By 'brat' I mean the little Phantomhive kid," Grell muttered in response. "You've been following him and his butler around lately."

"That's because they entertain me," L replied after a small pause. He averted his eyes and scratched at his neck awkwardly. "Not very many people do anymore."

Grell shrugged at that, and then sighed and stood, straightening himself. "Come on, let's get back inside," he murmured, turning and stalking away, heading back for the classroom.

"Actually, I have another idea," L replied, glancing at the rows of gravestones with narrowed eyes. "I'm curious to see what's happening in Japan... and there's someone I want to meet on a personal level. Would you be so kind as to assist me?"

Grell turned to look back over his shoulder, blinking curiously. "Who is it?"

"Kuchisaka-onna."

"...Who?"

"A woman I never quite got a chance to speak to."

"Uh... okay?"

And with that, L went to Japan via however the hell shinigami even travelled.

He frowned once there; a large skyscraper nearby had mobs of people attacking it. They held signs in protest ad were screaming angrily. Kira supporters. I knew something like this might be happening, but I have unfinished business first. The shinigami shoved his hands into his pockets and began to totter towards a particularly empty, dark street, one he had visited about two years ago.

Grell followed after L, a bored look on his face. Herp.

"Kuchisaka-onna," L mumbled. "Come here."

The woman appeared out of thin air and growled. It was the slit-mouth woman that L had introduced Ciel to all those years ago.

She was confused; she was looking around, searching for whoever summoned her.

"You are a confused soul," L said quietly, approaching and placing a hand on her shoulder. She continued looking around, confused; it was evident that she could not see the shinigami.

"Mr. Sutcliff, I am in Japan. The Japanese shinigami do different things; they do not collect souls, but rather, they take lives for themselves, and sometimes for their own personal amusement. I know the rules; Ryuk told me. Do the English reaper rules apply in Japan, where the Japanese reapers are of a higher power and status?"

"Yes, they do- If you're a member of the English shinigami branch, our rules apply no matter what your location is," Grell responded. He then gave a tiny smirk. "But, as I am quite sure you've seen and remember, I myself don't give a single shit about the rules."

"This soul," L murmured, tracing a hand along the woman's face. "She has killed too many, murdered too many... she is a demon. An evil entity." He reached into his shirt and pulled out his Death Note, opening it and grabbing a pen from his pocket. "I cannot collect her soul, but I can kill it. I can make it disappear." He wrote down the woman's real name, being able to see it, and within seconds she disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

"Mr. Sutcliff, feelings and emotions save lives. They also take them. So, why are they unimportant?"

Grell shrugged at that, not responding.

"Answer me."

"I don't know what to respond with."

"Think of something."

"They're not unimportant. I just said that about my own towards Sebastian."

"Good. Now, is Nate River on a to-die list?"

"No."

"Is Mihael Kaehl?"

"No."

L nodded. "Good..." He glanced up at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, I broke a rule. What will happen now?"

"There is no rule against killing demons. Only humans."

"Ah, I see... I have to make the rounds, then. Would you like to join me?"

"Sure."

"Alright." L stretched his arms and closed his notebook, pocketing it and the pen. "Do you have your Death Scythe with you?"

"Yep," Grell responded, waving the chainsaw-like object around.

"Right." L began to walk away, his hands stuffed inside his pockets. "Find any demons you can and take care of them, please."

Grell grinned at that, revved up his chainsaw, and went off demon-slaying.

Finally, after three hours straight, the two had cleaned up Japan significantly.

"Mr. Sutcliff, I'm one hell of a shinigami," L commented, using Sebastian's line and modifying it.

Grell grinned and chuckled at that, rolling his eyes. "You know, you /really/ sounded like Sebas-chan there," he commented in amusement. "You enjoy stealing lines, don't you, Lawly?"

"Not particularly," L replied, his expression deadpan. "...but I found it relevant. Mr. Sutcliff, I am impressed with the amount of demons you have slayed on this fine evening. I consider it community service, which is something I have never quite enjoyed... however, Near and Mello do not deserve to have such complications when they fight Kira."

Grell grinned, eyes still containing the psychotic light they had held when slaying the monstrous creatures. He did truly enjoy killing them, although he didn't outright say it.

"Come," L murmured after a pause. "I'd like to do a few more things in Japan." He began walking towards the old headquarters. "...please, keep your chainsaw hidden. I am going to be watching Kira."

Grell rolled his eyes, and his chainsaw then collapsed in on itself into a tiny little pocket-sized thing, which he pocketed. He then followed after L.

They soon arrived at the headquarters building. L glanced at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, please find something formal to wear. You must try and blend in."

Grell groaned in annoyance at that. "Oh, come on, Lawly... Do I really have to wear such /dull/ clothing? Why can't I wear my vibrant red?"

"That's your choice," L replied, turning and tapping the correct codes into the locks. He entered the building quietly, holding the door open for Grell. "But prepare yourself for some... questioning, from the others."

Grell rolled his eyes at that. "Honey, what I wear is no human's business. If they want to question me, I don't care, I'll just walk right on past 'em."

"Mr. Sutcliff, I advise you not to question too much when we reach the main control room. Please." L tapped in the number on the elevator and stepped inside, motioning for Grell to follow.

"'Kay." Grell just casually followed after L, without a single care in the world.

[ 52 PM | 28 PM] The elevator opened up in the control room, and L stepped out. "Come on, Mr. Sutcliff," he said, casually walking up to Light and stopping next to him.

The teenager did not see; of course not. He hadn't touched L's notebook. Ryuk's eyes widened slightly, but he laughed it off and continued watching the cameras Light had set up.

When Grell entered, Light whipped around, his brown eyes narrowed. "...who are you?" he asked, slightly bitterly. The other men also turned around, their eyes quizzical.

"The name's Grell Sutcliff.~" the shinigami responded, flipping his bright red hair as he said that, a light smirk on his face.

"How did you get in here!?" Light gripped the chair angrily. "This building was secured thoroughly by L himself! We are in contact with him and will not hesitate to have him arrest you on grounds of trespassing."

L frowned a bit at that but watched Grell with narrowed eyes.

Grell suddenly burst out into wild, voracious laughter at that statement, and then suddenly stopped, staring at Light with a wide grin, as he then leaned against the wall casually. "Honey, no... L is dead.~"

"How did you-"

Ryuk laughed. "So, looks we got another shinigami, eh? You don't look the part."

Grell smirked and nodded at Ryuk's words, continuing to casually lean on the wall. "I've got my ways.~"

Light looked between the two, his eyes narrowed. "You look nothing like a shinigami," he growled.

"Neither do I," L commented, making Ryuk laugh again.

Grell then smirked, bearing his sharp, shark-like teeth, and widened his bright green-yellow eyes. "Ahaha... you must realize, there is more than one type of shinigami, my dear.~ I am a European shinigami... A /true/ reaper.~"

"No, you aren't," Light replied after a pause, swiveling back around in his chair.

L frowned and stuck a thumb in his mouth. "Mr. Yagami, you are very stupid. I regret giving you a foot massage- that was, of course, my own way of telling you I was about to betray you, but..."

Ryuk laughed and fixed his eyes on L. "You got him there," he said with a wheezy voice. Light was right next to L and thought that Ryuk was talking to him.

L turned to glance at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, please tell Light-kun your thoughts about Kira."

Grell laughed at that, getting quite amused. "Whatever, kid, think what you will," he chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Odd that someone such as you can't recognize a shinigami, you little devil~! After all, you bring so much death and destruction that surely you should recognize a fellow God of Death~?"

"I am not a God of Death," Light replied, standing and facing Grell. "I do not bring death and destruction."

"Quit the bull, Light," L grunted. "None of the intelligent people here believe you, surely?"

Matsuda also stood, taking Light's side. "Yeah, he isn't a God of Death! He's a detective, on the case of Kira!"

Grell burst out laughing again at that. "Ahahah... is that the font you're putting up, Kira-san~?"

"I'm not Kira," Light replied.

L stood to his full height. He towered over everyone else in the room, and he looked down at Light with a darkened expression. "Light-kun, Near and Mello will defeat you. You will lose, and I will win." He turned to face Grell, his grey eyes narrowed. "Don't say anything about Kira or you may end up convincing the others. That's three who suspect him, remember; you cannot solve this case. This is a personal battle between Near, Mello, Light, and I, and I will not tolerate it."

Grell rolled his eyes at that, waving his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Lawly... but it's fun toying with him," Grell chuckled... /out loud/. He then turned back to Light, grinning. "Well, little /detective/, if you wanna play that game then by all means go ahead. I won't stop you, heheh..~"

Light took a step back, his eyes narrowing further. "Lawly?... Game? I don't- I don't follow."

L quickly approached Grell. He was only an inch taller than the other shinigami, but it was big enough for him to slap a hand over Grell's mouth. "Keep quiet, Mr. Sutcliff. Nobody knows my real name, and I want it to stay that way."

"Fine, would you rather I call you Ryu~? The name these little punks know you by~?" Grell responded through L's hand, grinning. This was very amusing to him.

Light's eyes narrowed even further. "Ryu?.. What are you on about?"

"Shut your damn mouth," L growled. "Or I will cut out your tongue."

Grell snickered at that. "Alright, alriiiight... Jeez, Ryuga, you're such a downer~!"

"Ryuga? As in, Hideki Ryuga?" Matsuda was catching on, as were the others.

Light smirked. "What did you say your name was again, reaper?"

"Grell Sutcliff," the shinigami responded with a light smirk. "And yes, Matsuda- And Light, that little book of yours won't affect me.~"

"Ah, I think I'm starting to get it," Light said, his expression returning to normal. "You mistakenly think that the Death Note is mine, since shinigami can sense Death Notes."

"That's right," Ryuk added, laughing.

Light nodded. "The Death Note is not mine, and I think you're a bit confused, Grell. Hideki Ryuga is a pop singer, though... I wouldn't be surprised if you mistook me for him. I am good looking, after all!~" He turned back towards the monitors and began typing notes to himself.

L stared at Light bitterly. "Oh, he knows what you're getting at," he said softly, making Ryuk laugh. "If you say my name, he'll think you're crazy, which is probably for the best."

Grell burst out laughing again. "AHAHA! L, a pop singer? Now /that's/ a sight I'd /love/ to see! And you really aren't a very bright one, are you? Don't you realize I wasn't even talking to you, dear, when I said the name 'Hideki'~?"

"You're very confused," Light replied. "L died, remember?"

L stared at Grell coldly before slamming his fist into the other shinigami's face. "Shut it, Mr. Sutcliff! This isn't your battle!"

Grell flew backwards with the force of the other shinigami's face, and a mark clearly showed. "Owwwww! Hey, Lawly, no /fair!/ Why the /face/?"

Light pretended not to notice, instead staring up at the screen.

The other men, however, stared in awe, while Ryuk kept laughing.

"Your face is the equivalent of three pounds of dog feces," L grunted, to which Ryuk laughed harder.

"You're awfully giggly today," Light commented to the visible shinigami. Ryuk smiled.

"This new guy's hilarious!" he replied. "You can't see him, of course, but he's got a sense of humor!"

"Why can't I see him?"

"He's a shinigami, too," Ryuk replied. "Death Note and everything. He just hasn't let you touch his book yet."

"That's a good thing," Light responded. "I don't want to see any more Gods of Death, especially not after L's death."

L froze, backing away from Grell. What? You're lying, Kira.

Grell huffed in irritation and stood, rubbing his face where he had been hit. "That really hurt, you know."

"Keep quiet," L replied, to which Ryuk laughed.

"Light, this guy's absolutely hilarious," the Japanese shinigami laughed. "You gotta hear him!"

"No," Light replied. "I'm not interested."

Matsuda tilted his head to the side. "I wanna hear him," he said innocently. Ryuk laughed even harder at that and looked at L expectantly.

"Matsuda's an idiot," L stated plainly. "But, I trust him. He's stupid enough to be quiet about this." The shinigami reached into his shirt, pulled out the notebook, and grabbed Matsuda's hand, placing it on the cover.

Matsuda stared wide-eyed at the shinigami, but L moved quickly. He clamped a hand over Matsuda's mouth and held his other hand to his mouth in a 'sh' gesture. Matsuda nodded, eyes buggy.

"You- you have glasses," was all he said. "And your eye color-"

"European shinigami," L replied. "Different matter entirely."

Matsuda nodded and backed away. L turned back towards Grell.

"You," he growled, "had better keep your mouth shut, or I'll keep it shut for you."

Grell rolled his eyes. "Fiiiiine. Sheesh, you're grumpy today."

Ryuk laughed.

Matsuda frowned. "Uh, Ryu- wait, no, sorry. Uh, Mr. Shinigami, why are you so upset? It's really not that big a deal-"

"Matsuda, your specialty is being stupid, so please do not try to be anything otherwise." L's voice was exasperated.

Matsuda went bright red at that. "Oh, uh, sorry, Mr. Shinigami, I'll try-"

Aizawa and Mogi exchanged confused stares, but said nothing.

Light finally spoke. "Grell, why are you and your friend here, anyway?"

Grell shrugged, a bored expression on his face. "Because my little friend here wanted to."

Matsuda stared at L. "You- you came back? But... why?"

"Because," L replied casually, "I was bored. It really is as simple as that, Matsuda."

Matsuda didn't question that. He did, however, brighten up a bit. "Well, we have Near on our side now! He's investigating the Kira case with us!"

"Yes, I know that," L replied. He turned towards Light. "Do you have any input, Kira?"

Light was unable to see or hear L, so he just continued doing what he had been doing.

Matsuda looked between Grell and L, confused. "...Kira? What do you mean? Light isn't Kira! He's actually taken L's place!"

L whipped around to face the man. "What?"

"He took L's place," Matsuda replied.

L's grey eyes slowly moved to look at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, input."

Grell immediately erupted into loud, cackling laughter, even falling on the ground as he did so. "AHAHAHAHAHA~! KIRA HIMSELF, INVESTIGATING THE KIRA CASE AS L?! AHAHAH~! THIS IS HILARIOUS!"

"Grell, shut up," L groaned, making Matsuda giggle a little bit. He was silenced by a glare from L.

Ryuk was laughing, as well. Light turned to glance at Grell.

"I'm not Kira," he said in a deadpan voice. "If that was what you were getting at."

L groaned once again. "Dammit, Grell, shut the f*ck up before I slam your f*cking head into the f*cking wall!"

Matsuda gulped. "I've- wow," he said, a bit surprised. "You- that's quite the language, Ryuzaki!"

Light, Mogi, Aizawa, and whoever else was assisting Light all whipped to face Matsuda, their eyes buggy. "What!?"

Matsuda shrank back. "I mixed up the names!" he exclaimed in defense.

"Don't do it again," Aizawa growled. "That's disrespectful to L."

Matsuda shrank at Aizawa's words. "Sorry," he muttered, averting his gaze.

"Hey, you asked for my input!" Grell protested, standing up again and crossing his arms indignantly. "So it's your fault! You know I have no filter, especially when outright asked for input.~"

"I asked for your input, not laughter."

"Laughing /was/ my input, honey.~"

Matsuda and Ryuk both laughed at that. Light glared at them both, annoyed.

"..alright," he said. "I'll see this shinigami, since you two are laughing it up."

L glared coldly at Light but touched the teen's hand to a slip of his Death Note. Light's eyes widened.

"Ah, I see," he said with a soft chuckle. "Guys, he's not that funny. He's just another shinigami." He paused. "You could use a facelift, though; you look worse than Ryuk!"

Ryuk laughed at that. "Wow, I'll take that as a compliment."

L stared coldly at Light. "Mr. Sutcliff, input," he murmured.

Grell snickered at that comment, and was actually about ready to high-five Light. But, he decided against it to prevent himself from being killed by L, and simply commented. "Ahah, aren't you a rude little devil?"

"Shut it, Grell," L snapped, making Light jump.

"Well, Matsuda and Grell were right! You're very upset," Light commented. "But... maybe that's a good thing. It's okay to be upset sometimes; we all do it." He turned his brown eyes to stare at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, what did you say you were here for again? Shinigami or not, I'm still a bit upset that you got past the locks."

"Like I said, I'm here because Lawly wanted me to come."

"Who is Lawly?" Light's voice was quizzical. "It sounds like a pet name."

"Him." Grell casually gestured to L.

"Why do you call him that?" Light was starting to get the idea, but was obviously trying to change the subject from Kira to L.

L took the glasses off and angrily threw them against the wall, smashing them. Matsuda yelped and jumped away from the impact zone.

"I hate glasses," he grunted. "They're hard to see with." He liked being near-sighted, and turned to glare at Light as he awaited Grell's response. Don't give them my real name. I beg of you, Grell.

"It's a little nickname. I give nicknames to all of my colleagues. It's short for his real name... It's quite an embarrassing one, I must say... I mean, who wants a name like Lawliara Von Queef?"

Ryuk, Mogi, Aizawa, and Matsuda all simultaneously started laughing... very, very hard.

Light smirked at L. "What a pleasant name," he said quietly. "I'm sure Watari had lots of fun with that."

L turned around slowly to face Grell. "Gods of Death cannot die unless they prevent death," he murmured quietly. "That is the case in Japan, which we are in. However... Gods of Death can feel pain. They can feel all the pain in the world. Tell me, Grellietta Sutvaginacliff, do you wish to feel pain?"

Even Light couldn't help but laugh at that.

L grabbed Grell by the neck and slammed him into the wall. "I am stronger than I look, and I will make you feel pain."

Grell yelped at that, staring up at L. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, sheesh! I was just /kidding/!"

"What's my real name?" L growled. "I want to hear you say my real name." Mostly for Matsuda; he's stupid and won't think anything of it.

The others had stopped laughing and now watched, curious to see what Grell was doing.

"Are you being serious and won't kill me if I say it~?"

"Yes. I am serious."

Light leaned in closer, as did Matsuda. Ryuk just chuckled once again.

"It ain't much," he commented, but Light and Matsuda ignored his comment.

"His name's L Lawliet."

Light turned back towards the computer monitors. "That would have been helpful to know," he commented. "We would have been able to accurately protect his identity, and we might have been able to save him from death."

"Bull," L growled. "You wanted me dead. You planned it!"

Matsuda watched the exchange with wide eyes, but did not say anything. Ryuk just kept on laughing.

Grell rolled his eyes at Light's words. "Ahah... you really are a persistant one, aren't you?"

"Grell, since you and your colleague are not important in this investigation, may I request that you leave?" Light asked politely, continuing to look through newspaper reports about Kira.

L turned to look at Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, I feel the urge to watch this case. What about you? Do you wish to watch it, as well? To cure the boredom, of course."

"I certainly wouldn't mind watching this little case... though to be honest, I find that little brat's case a bit more interesting.~"

"Ah, well, Mr. Phantomhive and Mr. Michealis certainly do not seem to want you around," L replied, to which Ryuk laughed.

"You're a lot more pleasant," the Japanese shinigami chuckled. "Being a God of Death isn't so bad, is it?"

"It is not, no," L replied. He walked over to Grell, a small frown on his face. "Mr. Sutcliff, come along; we're going to pay a visit to Near."

Grell rolled his eyes and turned towards the exit, waving his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright. Let's go, then~!"

And with that, they left.

L was certain he could hear Light grumbling, but he shrugged it off and continued walking.

Soon, they reached the SPK building. L entered without a second thought and walked quickly up the stairs. "Come along, Grell," he murmured. "But, please, do not be so loud. Keep your mouth closed."

Grell rolled his eyes at the other shinigami. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Lawliara Von Queef." He grinned playfully as he said that, chuckling in amusement. He was only playfully teasing the other shinigami, so he hoped L wouldn't punch his face in for that comment...

"That is not funny," L grunted. "Come on; let's try to not make a scene. Knock on the door and introduce yourself as Hayao Miyuki, a specialized investigator sent from America to assist Near."

Grell rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Alright, alright, fine.~"

"After you," L muttered as they reached the door.

Grell then entered the room, staring around with a bored expression.

There were several people in the room, and all of them were working on something at desks. In the center of the spacious room kneeled a boy of around 13 or 14. He was silent.

A couple of the people stood. "You have the wrong room," one of them said cautiously. "Please, introduce yourself."

"Actually, no dear, I'm quite sure this is the correct room," Grell chuckled in amusement. "The name's Hayao Miyuki, a specialized investigator sent from America to assist Near.~"

"Interesting," the boy in the center of the room said, rather loudly. "You claim to be sent from America, but you have a Japanese name. From your voice, I can assume that you're English. That leaves me no choice but to suspect that you're lying."

L spoke quickly. "Tell him it's an alias, and that you do not wish to reveal your real identity at this time due to the possibility of someone in the room being Kira."

Grell chuckled at that. "It's an alias, kid," he responded, rolling his eyes. "I wish to not reveal my real identity at this time due to the possibility of someone in this room being Kira."

"Smart," Near replied, running his socked feet against each other. "But I would like to see some form of proof that you were sent from America."

Grell stared at Near with a deadpan expression. "And what 'proof' do you want?"

"Something that would not be public information."

L spoke, his stare boring into Grell's neck. "His real name, which was revealed to the American task force, is Nate River."

"Your real name's Nate River."

"Yes, that is correct," Near replied. "But anyone can look into the Wammy's databanks and find that out if they want. What are the names of my associates?"

L looked at the members and spoke their names from what he sa above their heads. "Anthony Carter, Stephen Loud, Halle Bullook, Steve Mason, John McEnroe, Ellickson Gardner, Ill Ratt, Elliot Schmidt, Adolf Tucker, John Skyner, Daril Mocry, and Kurt McBride."

"Anthony Carter, Stephen Loud, Halle Bullook, Steve Mason, John McEnroe, Ellickson Gardner, Ill Ratt, Elliot Schmidt, Adolf Tucker, John Skyner, Daril Mocry, and Kurt McBride."

"That is correct, but my questions are mundane, at best. Who are we, who are we in contact with, and what is our goal?"

L stared at the child in dismay. "I don't know," he murmured. "I did pick up on something while we spoke with Light, however. It is to my belief that this is the Special Provision for Kira. I cannot tell you anything else, though. I never thought I'd be saying this, but... Mr. Sutcliff, it's time for you to improvise."

"You're the Special Provision for Kira, in contact with L and the task force working with him."

"Ah, you've contradicted yourself. Yes, we are the S.P.K. Yes, we are in contact with the task force." He paused. "And, yes, we are, in fact, in contact with L."

"Clever," L muttered, walking slowly up to Near and staring down at him. "Very, very clever. Mr. Sutcliff, L is dead; Near knows this. BY telling him he is in contact with L, you made it sound as though you didn't know of L's death. Which... contradicted yourself. You're a bad liar, Sutcliff, but there's still time to fix it."

"Ah, but I did not contradict myself... I know the man you are in contact with is in fact not the real L, but has pretty much taken his place, so..." Grell shrugged as he said that. "I am quite aware the real L is dead."

"Yes," was all Near replied.

L sat down next to the white-haired boy, his eyes narrowed. "Mr. Sutcliff, do come closer." They won't attack you unless Near orders them to. "It would be wise for you to prove yourself by stating something they already know about Kira. You could say he uses a Death Note, or that he is childish, for example."

"I am also aware that Kira uses an object known as a Death Note.~"

"And what is this object, exactly?" Near tilted his head to the side. His back was still turned to Grell, and he glanced half-heartedly up at the ceiling.

"It's a notebook. When you write someone's name in it, they die."

"And where did you hear about this object?"

"Honey, I have my sources. Now, I'd suggest you quit asking me questions and accept the fact that I am who I claim to be. I've already proven it."

"You certainly are not Kira," Near replied. "You couldn't be if you tried. You're just too stupid."

"Ah! Great minds think alike!" L exclaimed, though his expression remained its usual semi-creepy deadpan state. "Mr. Sutcliff, repeat your alias and your reason for coming here. Near won't hire stupid people."

"I am not /stupid/," Grell hissed in response, eye twitching. "I will say this again. I'm from America, sent to work with you on the Kira investigation. The name's Hayao Miyuki. Now, will you stop with your questioning, it's getting quite annoying."

"Okay," Near agreed. "Rester will set you up on a laptop. I want you to break into the criminal records for each prison in Japan. If you aren't stupid, then this will be easy."

Rester did as he was ordered, opening a laptop and placing it in front of Grell. He did not turn it on.

L smirked. "Alright, Hayao Miyuki; turn on the laptop, enter the correct password, and hack into the databanks. I will be of assistance if you need it." The shinigami stood and made his way over to Grell. "Good luck."

Grell stared at the laptop with a deadpan expression. He was flamboyant and sassy as hell, but he sure wasn't stupid.

He did just as L said, and had quickly hacked into what Near had told him to. Herp.

"Good job," L grunted. "A 15-year-old girl would be able to do that faster, but I won't judge you for your first time." He glanced up at Near.

The white-haired boy had turned his head to glance at Grell. "Alright, Mr. Miyuki," he murmured. "You may join the S.P.K. You may leave whenever you like, and if you feel the urge to quit... do so whenever. I certainly won't stop you. However, if you do end up quitting... you will immediately be a coward."

"Ah, the nasty look in his eye has returned!" L's voice was ecstatic. "That's why I chose him as a candidate, you know."

"Mkay. I will have you know, I most certainly am not a coward."

"Please tell me how many criminals have died in the past hour," Near responded.

"600."

"600? Kira certainly has been busy."

"Yes. Yes he has."

"Please elaborate on each of the deaths."

"...You want me to state the cause of death for each and every victim?"

"Scared?"

"No."

"Then please elaborate on each of the deaths."

And then Grell elaborated on all of the deaths.

"All heart attacks," Near murmured. "Which prison is it?"

"-Insert prison name here.-"

"Well, we're on the right track," Near announced.

L smirked, walking up to Grell and flipping the laptop lid shut. The laptop immediately turned off, and any and all data was lost. "Ah, the good old days of pranking people have returned."

Grell just sat there with a deadpan expression.

Near glanced at the laptop. "Please be careful with that, Mr. Miyuki, as those are not cheap."

L smirked and casually pushed the laptop off the table, sending it smashing to the ground. "Oops," he snickered, backing away very quickly to avoid being killed by Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, you have a lot of proving to do to Near, and I doubt that ruining his laptop will improve your status with him."

Grell hissed at that, glaring intensely at L. "Will you stop fucking around?!" he hissed, /out loud/. "I swear, Ryuzaki, you're so damn childish! You're going to get the kid pissed at me, ugh!"

Near glanced at Grell as though he were crazy. The other S.P.K members did, as well.

"...alright then," Near mumbled, turning back towards his toy trains.

L chuckled at that. "They don't know me by anything other than L," he smirked. "Now, please, apologize for your accident."

"It was not /my/ accident, you imbecile!" he hissed. he then suddenly leaped at L, grabbing a piece of paper from his death note... and then lunged at Near, touching him with the piece of paper. He then pointed angrily at L to make his point.

Near looked up quizzically.

"...who's that?" he asked, his grey eyes narrowing. "I was not aware that there were two of you who entered this room."

"That, my little albino friend, is L."

"I'm not an albino, and that is definitely not L," Near replied.

L's expression darkened. "Not L? What, my little albino friend, can possibly convince you otherwise?"

near was starting to get freaked out. "Um... Rester, Gevanni, I think there may be gas or something in this room.."

The S.P.K members looked between each other, eyebrows raised. "Near, are you okay?"

"No," Near replied slowly. "No, and I should not be okay." He shakily stood, grasping the nearest chair as he did so to steady himself. "I think I may be hallucinating..."

L grunted but did not reply. Instead, he watched as Rester came quickly to Near's aid. The man stabilized the boy, and Near looked up at L with a smirk.

"If you are who you say you are, then you will be of help," he murmured.

L glanced at Grell, his eyes deadly. "Mr. Miyuki will be of far greater assistance."

"Tell me, L; what color were your eyes?"

"Grey. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason in particular."

"...okay."

Grell smirked at L. "Oh, little boy, that's L alright. And he /is/ dead... but he's also a shinigami.~"

"Sure," Near replied, smirking. He sat back down, and Rester returned to his spot, royally confused.

"Sure. That's L, the real L, and he is a shinigami. Alright." The boy's voice was emotionless, as well as flat.

L frowned a bit. I did not will my book to be touched, nor any of its pages. Which means... Near can't see me. But, he can, can't he? He asked me a question, and he heard my reply. So, what exactly is going on here?

"Yes. Yes he is."

But that means-

"He's faking it," L grunted. "It's another silly test. I did not will him to touch my notebook; he must think you're insane, but he's going along with it, to put himself in your place. He wants to know what you're thinking, feeling, and seeing."

Near continued to stare at the place where Grell had pointed, silent. He neither proved L correct or incorrect.

Grell then glanced over at Near. "Tell me, Near; What does he look like~?"

Near glanced up at Grell. "He look revolting," came the response. The boy turned away, going back to his trains. "I don't think I have ever seen an uglier being in my existence. Now, Mr. Miyuki, please return to work... colleagues or not, we need to find leads on the Kira case."

"That isn't a good enough description," Grell chuckled. "See; He thinks you're just pretending to be able to see him, and don't actually... so to prove you really can see him, please describe how he looks in detail.~"

"I do not need to follow your order," Near replied. "For all I know, you could be Kira, and this could be a trap. So, please, continue with your investigative work until further notice."

"So then I will label you as lying, you can't actually see L."

"He's dead," Near replied. "And your reaction proves it as much. So, please, continue with your investigative work until further notice."

L smirked. "Then he'll think you did this," the shinigami murmured, shoving Grell onto the laptop. It smashed further, and Near's eyes narrowed.

"We will discuss expenses later," he murmured.

Grell growled lowly in annoyance. "I did /not/ do that, he did."

"Sure thing," Near replied. He was used to working with people with disabilities- he had disabilities himself, after all- and he wouldn't sack someone so quickly after hiring them just because of a slight screw up.

L frowned, his amusement over. "Mr. Sutcliff, offer to interview potential Kira-spotters. That will surely make you much happier."

"No," Grell snorted in response. "Fuck off, Lawliet, will you? You've now put me in a bad mood."

"Ask it," L persisted. "It is vital that you do this. If I have to, I will set you up on a new laptop. Please do as I ask."

Near ignored Grell, having decided that the red-haired man was completely insane.

"Ugh, you're so annoying!" Grell huffed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine! Oi, little albino kid; Want me to like, interview potential Kira spotters or some shit?"

"I am not an albino," Near replied. "Anything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated."

L nodded but remained silent.

"'Kay."

L pointed towards the door. "Go over there," he murmured. "They'll give you your necessary materials then."

"'Kay." Grell then stalked over to where L told him to. Derp.

One of the S.P.K members silently handed Grell a notebook and a pencil.

"Please, be careful," Near instructed from the middle of the dimly-lit room. "If a supporter of Kira finds our location, then we may have yet another riot on our hands."

L nodded. "I'll guide you through," he muttered. "Let's go."

"'Kay," Grell responded simply, leaving the room.

L walked quietly beside Grell. "Mr. Sutcliff, you don't seem to know why I smashed your laptop. Would you like an explanation?"

"Talk to the ass."

"Mm, okay." L bent down near Grell's butt and averted his eyes, his words directed towards it. "Mr. Sutcliff's ass, would you like an explanation?"

"Yes."

"Near trusts disabled people more so than non-disabled people; he has... different standards, and thinks that those with mild mental illnesses are more intelligent than those without. However, it is entirely subjective. The way to the child's heart is through manipulation; you have taken a baby's candy, Mr. Sutcliff. Now all you need to do is eat it." L frowned, fixing his large eyes on Grell's head. "Which means helping him find Kira... subtly."

Grell snorted at that, rolling his eyes, "Yeah, sure, whatever."

L sighed. "Mr. Sutcliff, it will be worth your time. I promise."

"I'm a shinigami, I could be doing more interesting things than helping a little boy find a guy who kills with a book."

"Such as?" L scowled. "I died for this, I may as well work on it. I don't want to be seen by anyone, so I need you to be my eyes and ears. That's it. You're my puppet, Mr. Sutcliff; a piece in my chess game."

At that moment, Grell stopped, glaring intensely at L. "Oh no. Hell /no/, you little shitbag, I am not going to anyone's damn puppet! If you wanna watch this shitty case, do it yourself! I am no damn puppet, fuckin' panda face!"

And with that, Grell took off, back to the shinigami realm.

"My chess game is losing," L murmured to himself, taking off after Grell and catching up to him. He grabbed the red-haired man by the shirt neckline and pulled him towards himself.

"Mr. Sutcliff, you are a strong individual, and you remind me of a sibling. However, I need somebody to do my physical work for me. Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes," Grell spat, shoving him away. "Calling me a 'puppet' was the last straw, mister. I am /done/ helping you, all you did was make me look like a damn crazy fool in front of that brat and his little minions."

He then turned his back and continued to walk away, grumbling in annoyance under his breath.

"I am willing to offer a price for your service, Mr. Sutcliff," L replied casually.

"I don't want money," Grell responded sharply. "I have no need for it."

"I never said a word about money, of which I have none," L replied.

"Then what is this 'price' you're blabbing on about?"

"Alcoholic beverage."

"No thanks, I'll pass."

"Sugary foods."

"No."

"Anything edible."

"/No./"

"Something... tangible?"

"No."

"Something related to emotions."

"No."

"A hug?"

"No."

"A kiss on the cheek?"

"No."

"I could kiss your feet."

"No, that's gross."

"I could make you a salad, since you could lose a few pounds, anyway."

"Okay, now that was just downright rude. Again, no."

"Personal observation, nothing to do with you. How about I set you up on a date with Sebastian?"

Grell then suddenly stopped, a small grin coming to his face. "Now we're talking."

"Please elaborate on the terms and conditions for this bribe."

"Hmmm... how about you make offers?"

"I will do whatever is necessary in order for you to be my marionette doll in the Kira case."

Grell snorted at that, rolling his eyes. "Alright, then. You have to set me up on a date with Sebastian. Then in order for me to work with you, he must kiss me of his own accord.~"

Christ almighty. "..Alright. I'll see what I can do."

"Alright, good then.~"

L frowned. "When do you want this date to occur?"

"Whenever Sebby's actually free to go on it... which means likely at the end of that case of theirs."

"I think I can set your date up before then. I will simply need both your's and Sebastian's cooperation."

"Alright.~"

L took off down to London and approached Sebastian quickly. It was nighttime, and whatever had happened that day had happened.

"Sebas-chan," he whispered, grabbing the demon's arm. "I would like to speak with you in private."

About half of episode 4 had happened, and Sebastian was currently lying on the top bunk of a bed in a tent, with William on the bottom bunk, asleep.

When Sebastian then sat up, he was met with William's hedge-trimmer-like death sycthe outstretched by him, with the shinigami having been awoken very quickly by his movements.

"And just where do you think you're going, demon?" the shinigami hissed, messing with his glasses.

"A subordinate of yours wishes to speak with me."

"Well tell him no, I will not have you meddling in shinigami business."

Sebastian gave a light sigh of annoyance, glancing over at L. "Apologies, but it seems as if your boss doesn't wish us to speak at this moment. I'd suggest waiting for morning," he then said lowly, eyes flashing.

"I do not have a boss," he replied. "This is incredibly urgent, Sebastian, enough for me to use your first name."

Sebastian sighed and glanced at the wall for a second, and then made a further attempt to leave the bed, only to once again be intercepted by William's scythe in his face.

"As I said, demon, at night you are to stay here. I will not allow you wandering about and meddling in shinigami affairs without your master to keep you on a leash."

At that, L climbed onto William's bed and sat in his normal crouched manner. He pulled his Death Note out and touched William with it in case the higher-ranking shinigami was unable to see him.

"William, this is a vital affair and will not take long. Please oblige."

William was already able to see the younger shinigami, and was quite irked by his display of touching him with the notebook like that. "First of all, what exactly is it that you wish to speak with a /demon/ about?"

"I have to make a bribe," he replied. "It is a personal affair and will not interfere with business."

William sighed, adjusting his glasses in light annoyance. "...Fine."

"Sebastian, please come with me," L said flatly, climbing down off of William's bed and stuffing his hands into his pockets. "We're going somewhere secluded so I may speak with you in private."

Sebastian gave a light nod and made his way down from the bed, following after L.

They walked for some time, away from the circus until it was nothing but stars and nature. L turned to face Sebastian.

"I need you to kiss Grell on your own accord," he said emotionlessly.

Sebastian then froze, eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?" he scoffed, looking absolutely appalled at the idea.

"I wish to continue following the Kira case, but I may have let it slip to Grell that I consider him a chess piece in my game. He, of course, was offended, and I had to bribe him to get him to comply. Unfortunately he will only be my marionette in the Kira case if you kiss him on your own accord. Please do not hesitate to do so." L paused. "He also wants a romantic dinner date with you, which I agreed to host."

"...No."

"I am telling you this to offer you a bribe."

"Gag me with a spoon."

"Please, Sebastian, do not speak like a valley girl. Would you like something edible in return for this arduous, tedious task?"

"No. Demons don't need human food, nor do we desire or enjoy it."

"Something tangible?"

"No."

"Something emotionally appealing?"

"No."

"A hug?"

"Absolutely not."

"A kiss?"

"Hell no."

"I could kiss your feet."

"No, that's disgusting."

"How about I set you up with Beast so that you may cuddle and pet her tiger?"

"...Mmmm tempting, but I could easily sneak in the cage on my own, so no."

"I can shower you with cats."

"L, if I wanted to I could go to a pet store right now and pet all the cats I wanted. So, no, an offer like that will not make me kiss that disgusting shinigami."

"Ryuzaki," L hissed in slight annoyance. However, he soon regained his confident expression and voice. "Perhaps... I could have Agni pay a visit?"

"No. I could easily go to the townhouse in which Agni and Soma watch for us, and really I'm not that interested in being around them, anyway. And how did you even know I was more than an aquaintance with Agni, anyway?"

"Observation," L replied. "An educated guess. What is it that you want most in your life?"

"I don't even know that myself."

"Perhaps you want most to know what you want most."

"That made no sense."

"It made perfect sense; you're too dense to understand it."

"Whatever. Already decided, not kissing Grell."

"I see." L frowned a bit. "Will you at the very least go on a dinner date with him? I will make certain that nothing physical happens."

"No."

"Sebastian, I will kick you in the knads if you don't start complying."

"I'm a demon, that won't affect me much."

"I don't care."

"Okay." And with that, Sebastian turned and began walking away.

"Stop, Mr. Michealis," L said flatly. "Do something with Grell. Please. You are sadistic and cold, I know, but the least you could do would be to work with me a little on this." He frowned. "I accept that I do not know enough about you to properly bribe you, but... it is the only way I will be able to work the Kira case."

Sebastian gave a very long, drawn out, annoyed sigh, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Fine, Ryuzaki, I'll do it. But I swear, you owe me to all hell for this, damn you..."

"Thank you," he murmured. "Try and make the kiss believable, please; that is all I ask of you, apart from you going on the date as well." He paused, staring at the moon with his wide eyes. "Would tomorrow night be convenient for you?"

"It depends on what ends up happening, really. I and my master will likely be quite busy for the next few days."

"I'm afraid it is vital that you not take so long. Tomorrow night it is; I highly doubt you will be busy at midnight. Meet me in the main tent at that time exactly; do not be late."

"The issue is whether that damn shinigami will let me leave."

"Oh, he will," L replied simply.

Sebastian snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, okay."

And with that, he turned his back and began to head back to the tent.

L returned to the shinigami realm, his mind racing. I now owe Sebastian something... hmph.

Grell was now chilling out in his apartment in the shinigami realm, asleep on the couch. Where ever L had transported himself to, a tall black-haired 'shinigami' with golden eyes walked aimlessly, not really going anywhere in particular.

L was in his own world, as usual, and accidentally smashed into the shinigami.

"Ouch," he complained as he fell to the floor backwards. He picked himself up, dusted himself off, and glanced in annoyance at the black-haired man. "You were in my walking space."

The man, known as Claude, merely looked down at the other shinigami, blinking, as he then took a step back. "Apologies, but it seems as if you were not watching where you were going..." he murmured in response, voice low. "But nonetheless, I apologize for taking up your walking space, as you call it."

"Thank you," L grunted. "Your eyes are golden, which means you are not a full shinigami. And yet, you are in the shinigami realm. Nonetheless, I can tell you are new. Welcome." L held out a hand to shake. He had not bothered to replace his glasses, so he had not seen the man's features until he had come closer.

"I am not new, actually..." Claude responded, blinking, also reaching out a hand and taking the other man's, shaking it lightly. "I'm a senior trainee by now. I've been around for quite a while."

"Then you should know not to walk in other shinigamis' spaces by now."

"This is not exactly your space, this area is public," Claude responded with a deadpan expression. "I always roam around here."

"My space," L replied, moving his arm in a circle about five feet around himself. "My bubble." He tilted his head to the side. "Not new? Why have I not seen you before? You certainly do not look like any of the other shinigami."

"I'm a bit secluded," Claude responded, ignoring L's rude 'my space, my bubble' comment. "I'm not very social, to be honest, so I tend to veer away from the other shinigami."

"I like you already," L replied. "And I can say that for only one person, and he is not a shinigami- he isn't even alive, actually." The shinigami gave Claude a warm smile. "You may call me Ryuzaki."

Claude gave a small smile back. "Alright, Ryuzaki... You can call me Claude."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Claude." The shinigami then glanced at his bare hand. "Oh, what do you know? It's very late, and I forgot I hate socialization. Goodnight, Claude." And with that, he shoved his hands into his jeans and tottered away, headed for the apartment he had been assigned to share with Grell.

Claude watched the other man leave with light amusement, and then turned the opposite direction, beginning to stalk away.

L paused, glancing back at Claude.

"Mr. Claude, be careful. Shinigami are notorious for hatred."

And with that note, he continued on towards the apartment.

Claude snorted at the other man's words. "I am well aware.." he responded quietly, continuing to walk away.

L nodded and left the other alone.

He finally reached the apartment and entered it without knocking. "You and Michealis will be going on a date tomorrow at midnight exactly," he informed Grell.

"Awesome," Grell responded drowsily from the couch, being half-asleep.

"You can thank me later," L replied, sitting down in the corner in his preferred position and resting his head on his knees. "For now, however, I think I'll be sleeping."

And with that, he dozed off.

Grell also went back to sleep. Hurr.

The next day, L awoke and headed to class without bothering to change his clothes.

Claude was also heading to his own class, and happened to pass L in the hall on the way there- and was then suddenly shoved by another student, who smirked and just walked right past as if nothing happened while Claude staggered and nearly fell over, glaring after the other shinigami.

L whipped around to face the other student, his eyes wide and venomous. "Agh!" He grabbed the student by the shirt and pulled them to eye-level.

"You do not shove into somebody. It is immoral! Do so again and you will have to deal with me." His voice was passive-aggressive, which- compared to his disheveled, insomniac appearance- would hopefully frighten that student.

The student squeaked and pulled themselves away from L, dashing down the hall.

Meanwhile, Claude merely glared after them, sighing lightly as he continued on his way, sending a light glance in L's direction and a tiny smile of thanks, though he didn't say anything.

L did not respond, instead heading to his own respective class. He muttered something about justice as he passed Claude, but otherwise did not acknowledge the other shinigami.

As Claude walked, he then was crashed into by none other than Grell, who was on his way to the classroom.

"Oi! Watch where you're-" Grell began, but then suddenly grinned. "Oh, Claude, hi~!"

Claude sighed and stood, lightly pushing Grell off of him. "Yes, hi, uncle..."

"Where have you been? I havent seen you around much~!"

"...I'm not very social, you know that."

"Well, yeah, but... It's like you disappeared off the face of the Earth!"

"You're overexaggerating..."

"Sutcliff, you have a class to teach," L grunted in Grell's direction as a reminder.

Grell huffed and rolled his eyes, pulling off of Claude. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"And I have a class to go to.." Claude murmured, pushing his glasses up, an action that was very similar to William. He then brushed past Grell and continued on his way, And Grell turned and headed for the classroom.

L shook his head softly and entered the classroom, kicking off his shoes and sitting in his normal manner in his desk. He awaited instruction from Grell and anticipated the Grell's and Sebastian's date later on.

Grell and L seemed to be the only ones who had arrived so far, so Grell just plopped himself in his chair and waited for the other students, a bored look on his face.

"Claude called you his uncle," L stated plainly. "Explain."

Grell chuckled at that, rolling his eyes. "I'm not his actual uncle," he stated, cocking his head. "I just helped Will raise the kid, and am sort of... an uncle figure, I suppose. More like an aunt, actually, but I'm a man, so. Eh."

"Seems simple enough," L replied. He frowned. "If nobody's coming to class today, then that leaves us more time to work on the Kira case, with you as my puppet. Correct?" Wait- William is Claude's father? The hell is going on? I best not ask.

"I'm not working on that case until after that date.~"

"What were your... conditions.. again?"

"He must kiss me of his own accord. And L, I swear... If I discover that you bribed him into it, I will no longer help you."

"His own accord? I will not need to bribe him- the atmosphere will be quite enough to make him fall absolutely head over heels for you."

"Good then."

"Is it a French kiss you want?"

"...Yep.~"

"Anything else?"

"He has to actually like me."

"And how is he to show this affection?"

"...Well, I'd like for a long-term relationship rather than a one night's date, but that's probably far-fetched."

"And if you get it, you'll work on the Kira case as my marionette?"

"Yes."

"Then the atmosphere shall be most attractive! He will be unable to refuse you."

"Cool." He didn't actually believe any of that one bit. There was no way L would be able to get Sebastian to like him without a bribe.

"Alright. I'm going to leave; I do not want to waste my time here any longer if there are not going to be any more students." With that, L stood and transported himself to England, where he walked into a certain cemetery and sat down at a certain grave. If you follow me, you'll see me grieving Watari. Good luck, Mr. Sutcliff.

Grell stayed in the classroom, bored out of his mind. Apparently the class had decided to all skip training.

Meanwhile, the second half of episode 4 went on with Ciel and Sebby.

L approached Sebastian wherever he was and tugged on the demon's arm. "Sebas-chan," he murmured, "are you ready for your date with Mr. Sutcliff? Please, put on a convincing performance. Also, Grell wants a long-lasting relationship. I have made preparations for this event, so do not worry about that."

It was directly after the beginning of episode 5, and Sebastian was off on his own, while Ciel was likely with Freckles or doing random circus work. When L rugged on his arm, Sebastian glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowing at the shinigami's words. "You said I had to simply kiss him. You did not mention anything about a long-term relationship," he hissed, eyes flaring. "I refuse to actually call myself that damn shinigami's boyfriend or anything of the sort. I will go on one date with him, and kiss him /once/, as I said. But no more than that."

"He specified what kind of kiss he wanted," L replied slowly, as though speaking to a trauma victim. "He wishes to receive a French kiss." I'm very sorry Mr. Michealis, but I need a puppet to do my bidding.

"...Ryuzaki, I swear, you are going to owe me /so fucking much/ for this..."

"Don't let him know it's a bribe," L replied. "Otherwise he will not work under me on the Kira case."

"...Now you owe me even more."

"I need a puppet, Sebas-chan. Oh, and, if you could perhaps pretend to be his significant other for, say, a week.. that would be wonderful."

"You do realize that the day I leave him and stop pretending, he's going to kick both my ass and yours, right?"

"Yes, but before then, he will give Near all the information necessary in order to catch Kira. I win, in the end."

"He's going to hate you, and I really would rather not put up with an actually angry shinigami out for my blood."

"Ah, do not worry, I can keep him preoccupied with his hatred for me. He won't have time to be out for your blood."

Sebastian sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Fine."

"Ah, wonderful. Come on, then; he's waiting for you." And with that, L began to walk towards the empty wilderness, where he had created quite a setup in a clearing. It was a bed of moss next to a babbling brook, and it was completely candlelit. A small, oak table was set up, and rose petals lay scattered about.

"I told him it was the atmosphere that would make you kiss him," the shinigami whispered to Sebastian. "Please go along that line."

"It is not yet Midnight, I have other business to attend to soon. I don't have time for a date at the moment."

"No," L replied. "No, it isn't midnight yet, but I thought you might like to see where it was beforehand, and what it would look like. I'm giving you time to emotionally prepare yourself."

Sebastian sighed and followed after L. "Honestly, I don't think this is necessary... While I am actually very appalled at the mere thought of dating that reaper, I am quite a good actor."

"We'll see," L replied, brushing aside a tree branch to reveal the set up. "Memorize this location and be here at precisely 12:00 AM."

Sebastian gave a light nod. "Mmkay."

And with that, he turned and left, and more of episode 5 happened.

The Kira case continued as it had in Death Note, with Near and Mello doing their things and Takada and Light doing their's.

Night soon came, and Ciel, Sebastian, and the other troupe members hustled around, carrying things and doing other tasks. After setting down a box, Ciel then sat himself down, panting.

"The question is whether I'll collapse from exhaustion before I check the tents..." he muttered in light annoyance. He then looked up as someone walked past. "Hey! What should I do next- Hm?"

He then caught sight of Sebastian by a rack of clothes, and then darted over to meet up with him.

"Sebastian!" he called out, voice a whisper. "Freckles isn't watching, let's check the tents right now. We'll get it done in ten minutes."

He didn't even care that William was only about a foot away from them.

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian responded in a whisper, bending down by Ciel. The two of them then left the tent they had been in, and were about to dash off, until they were then interrupted by Joker, Peter, and Wendy on Joker's back.

"Black!" Joker called out, dashing up to him. "We've got trouble! Old Wendy's twisted 'er ankle! The show's already on, so I need 'ee to take her place!"

"But surely I'm not a fit substitute..." Sebastian began to protest, but was interrupted.

"Fit and ready, me 'ansom. We'll count on 'ee. 'Ee haven't much time, so be quick!" Joker stated, as he then left Sebastian and Ciel without another word.

"Nothing for it, I'm afraid," Sebastian muttered to Ciel. "We'll have to find another chance, young master."

Ciel didn't respond for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"Young master?"

"We don't know when the next chance will come," Ciel then murmured. "This may be the only time he isn't with me. You may be in the show, but I have some time. The only trouble is the snakes."

He then turned towards Sebastian, after gazing up at the schedule. "Right! Come with me, Sebastian!"

"At once."

and Death Note kept happening.

After only a few minutes, Ciel and Sebastian had gathered up all of the snakes running loose, with Sebastian tying them in knots so that they could not get out of the containers he placed them in.

"That's all of them," the demon then announced, turning to face Ciel.

"According to the program, your act ends at 7:50 and the encore is at 8:00, so you have about a ten minute window," Ciel then stated.

"To do what?"

"As soon as your act ends, release all of these snakes and go back for the encore. I'll look through their tents."

"Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Fine. Now get back to the show tent- They'll be suspicious if you're late."

"Very good, my lord."

And with that, Sebastian turned to leave, while Ciel went to go search the tents.

Soon, Sebastian found himself staring straight into the eyes of William, and neither of them looked very pleased.

"I thought Miss Wendy was the only one injured?" Sebastian then piped up, voice slightly distressed.

"Right, but old Peter obviously can't hold your weight!" Dagger responded.

"I don't see why I should have to pair with you," William bitterly stated, once again messing with his glasses.

"I don't like it either, but it can't be helped," Sebastian responded with a sigh.

"Honestly, I can't believe I have to collaborate with such vermin."

And stuff kept happening in the Death Note world.

And then the rest of episode 5 happened, which... went past midnight, leaving a very annoyed, ditched Grell.

L went up to Sebastian at the end of it all. "Thanks to you, Grell will not be my puppet," he hissed. His grey eyes were venomous.

It was right after Sebastian's encounter with William, and before seducing Beast. When the shinigami approached him, Sebastian turned to glare at him, eyes narrowed. "Apologies, Ryuzaki, but my master's health and orders come before your wishes. Tell Grell that I will come another time, the circumstances were rather important. My master has fallen ill from an asthma attack, and has also ordered me to investigate something tonight. As a demon under a contract, I must abide by his orders, as well as watch out for his health."

"You are a demon, Mr. Michealis. You can run very fast; notifying me of this arrangement would have been appreciated."

"Well, so sorry for remaining by my master's bedside when he needed me. I literally just left the tent less than 20 minutes ago and had to put up with that damn shinigami with the hedge trimmer trying to block my way."

"Great. I need to solve the Kira case. Go on a date with Grell tonight, or I will not be happy."

"I have no time!" Sebastian snapped, baring his teeth. "Look, tell Grell I'll do it another time, these are serious circumstances. Besides, I'm not getting any payment for this, so be happy I'm willing to do it at all. But my master's orders are first priority."

"Alright." L turned and took off to wherever Grell was.

The shinigami poked the red-haired male. "Mr. Sutcliff, Mr. Michealis will go on a date with you soon. He is distraught with missing it, but his master's health takes priority."

Grell huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "What the hell even happened that caused him to miss it?"

"Mr. Phantomhive is ill," L replied simply.

Grell snorted at that, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. What's the new time?"

And meanwhile, Sebastian was fucking Beast for information.

"Tomorrow night." L was serious. "Tomorrow night, same site."

"Alright then~!" Grell chirped. "Lookin' forward to it.~"

L nodded and took off to alert Sebastian of the new time.

However, when he saw what the demon was doing, he immediately froze. "Uh, Mr. Michealis?..."

Sebastian completely ignored the shinigami's presence, and continued to fuck Beast.

L frowned a bit. "You're doing it wrong," he commented. "You seem to have no understanding whatsoever of how to do it properly." He stuck a thumb in his mouth and shoved the other hand into his pocket. "And she doesn't seem to be liking it, either."

Sebastian continued to completely ignore the shinigami, continuing the fuck Beast. As Sebastian saw it, L had no idea wtf he was talking about.

"Idiot." L turned and walked away. "You are to go on a date with Mr. Sutcliff tonight. No loopholes. Please do not be late." He stuffed both hands into his pockets and tottered outside.


	5. Claude, Levi, and Hanji

**Chapter 5**

 **I am embarrassed with how I RPed Hanji in this chapter, omfg. Just... let's say she had a LOT of coffee? She improves later in the rp, I swear. |D**

The next day soon came, and L was stuck in a class. As usual, he was frowning, and very bored.

Class soon ended, and students were allowed to roam around as they wished. Claude was now currently leaning against a locker close by wherever L was, silently reading a random book.

L went about his business as normal, filing through documents and looking at possible suspicious persons. It's depressing that I have resorted to suspecting my own classmates as criminals, but I have nothing else to do. I dislike everyone here, so socialization is not an option.

Claude continued to stand there, reading in silence. Numerous students passed by him, making very rude, degrading comments about his eye color and general scent. Well, looks like someone wasn't well-liked.

L glanced up. "Mr. Claude, do come join me," he muttered. "I do not mind those frivolous details."

Claude glanced up from his book for a moment, pausing. After thinking about it for a moment, he cautiously slinked over to where L was and sat down beside him, and then once again stuck his nose in his book, being too shy to really try and start conversation.

L continued rooting through shinigami's profiles. He thought out-loud, having no regard for whether or not he disturbed Claude's reading. "Hmmph, this one is notorious for his works of art, while this one is well-known for his cannibalistic tendencies. Both tend to hang out with each other, though they are polar opposites. Opposites attract, I suppose."

Claude then lifted his gaze up to L. "I know a couple of people in which that statement is very true," he stated, blinking. "They're polar opposites, yet they're always around eachother."

"It is a common phenomena," L responded, leafing through the profiles. "This one has broken the rules of the shinigami more than three times, whilst his girlfriend is innocent and gets good grades." He frowned. "Grades do not define intelligence, however; she is likely very stupid. She hangs on to him like a sloth to a tree. How disturbing."

Claude gave a small chuckle at that. "A couple of people I know... well, let's just say the guy's got a knack for ass kicking and sarcasm, and the woman's... Welllll... Very eccentric."

"Eccentric is a good thing, Claude-kun," L replied, reverting back to the Japanese way of addressing people. His expression was deadpan as he flipped through profiles. "I consider myself very eccentric, in fact."

Claude gave a tiny grin. "Yeah. Some say she's got a few screws loose- but she's the smartest person I know. That woman could invent a new machine in 10 minutes flat... her apartment is filled to the brim with all sorts of crazy gadgets and inventions."

L glanced up at the other's remark about the woman being smart. His expression instantly became somewhat downcast, somewhat annoyed. "Smartest person you know?... we'll have to see about that." Competition?

"Well, she's at least the smartest person I've actually witnessed the intelligence of," Claude sheepishly added, picking up quickly on L's change of mood. "I mean, I'm sure you're pretty smart too, you seem to be, it's just, I don't really... 'know' you, if you know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what you mean," L replied blankly, his expression unchanging. He glanced down at his profiles. "This... woman, you say... who is she? The likelihood of my having her profile in this pile is over 89%."

"Hanji Zoe," Claude responded. "And the friend of hers, the tough guy, is Levi Ackerman. You know, they're kinda funny, really... Those troublemakers broke into Hell 10 times just to prank and piss off the demons. Then Levi threatened to rip off an angel's wings and stuff them down his throat. Though in his defense, the angel was a dick."

"I do have them," L commented in response, flipping through the pages and pulling out the ones displaying information about the mentioned shinigami. "Hanji Zoe. Birthday is September 5th. Height is 170 cm. Weight is 60 kg." He frowned a slight bit but his expression overall did not change from its sad-ish look. "Levi Ackerman. Birthday is December 25th. Height is 160 cm. Weight is 65 kg."

"Sounds about right," Claude stated. "Though, I wonder how Levi weighs more than Hanji does... he's much shorter."

"I believe it has something to do with his muscle content," L responded. "All bodies are structured differently; I, for example, tower over many of the shinigami here, including you; however, I am very light weight."

"Ah... makes sense," Claude said with his head lightly tilted. "A lot, actually... that man can pack a punch. Seriously, almost everyone in my class has gotten their asses kicked by him at least once."

"Unnecessary violence is unnecessary," L murmured softly in response, staring at the picture of Levi on the profile. "What a shame that such a dashing young man would be so forceful with his actions."

"Well, usually he only does it because they either start throwing punches first or are complete and utter assholes," Claude responded, blinking. "The students in my class are... not very friendly, to say the least."

"And neither are those in mine," L replied. "But I do not take notice to it. I am curious, though... I would like to see how smart this woman actually is."

"I could introduce you to her," Claude then offered. "Though, as I said, she's very eccentric, very hyperactive, unless she actually needs to be serious. So, uh... be prepared. She acts kinda crazy above the intelligence."

"Her profile gives her wisdom 11/10, and her initiative 10/10. It does not state her intelligence; by definition, she may actually be very stupid. So, please, do introduce her to me."

"Alright then," Claude responded, standing up. "Come on then."

He then began to walk away, leading L through the halls.

L followed, abandoning the profiles and shoving his hands into his pockets. He was much shorter than the others when he was slouched, as usual; his comment about being tall was therefore not yet debunked.

They then approached a pair of shinigami near a group of lockers, who were standing around and chatting with eachother. These were to two that Claude had been speaking of.

Hanji bounced excitedly around Levi, grinning widely and playfully teasing him, while he wore an annoyed, deadpan expression, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the hyperactive woman, making an annoyed comment every now and then.

L glanced at them, his eyes widening very slightly. "Hello, Mr. Ackerman and Ms. Zoe," he muttered, reaching a hand forward to shake. "I have read much about you both."

Levi glanced at the other man's hand, eyes lightly narrowed. He didn't take it.

However, Hanji quickly bounded up to him, grabbing his hand and shaking vigorously. "Hiya~!" she chirped, grinning widely. "Who're you?"

"Oh-" L was shaken up by Hanji's vigorous shaking, and he very nearly lost his footing. He caught himself from toppling to the cold ground at the last second by grabbing on to Hanji's arm with his other hand and pulling himself up.

"Just call me Ryuzaki for now," he muttered, his grey eyes wide as if he had just seen his life flash before his eyes. "It is a pleasure meeting you."

Hanji grinned up at him, practically beaming with excitement. "Nice to meet you, too~!" she chirped in response. She then bounded back over to Levi and started bouncing around him again. The annoyed man in question then pointed at Hanji, glanced at L, and stated: "Never, /ever/ give this woman coffee."

"I do not share beverages," L responded, his hands shoved back inside his pockets. "My beverages are mine alone- this includes the coffee that I buy or make for myself." His eyes hardened. "Do not be so quick to assume that I share, Mr. Ackerman, because I don't."

"That's not what I meant, dumbass," Levi snorted, rolling his eyes. "I didn't mean it literally."

"He meant to basically say in a joking sarcastic way that coffee makes me go really really crazy," Hanji then chirped, grinning. "He doesn't always speak literally, he enjoys sarcasm and metaphors and shit like that."

"...Tch. Do you ever stop talking, shitty-glasses?"

"Nope!"

L glanced at the two with wide eyes for a moment before grinning... and then laughing in a high-pitched, maniacal way. Since he never laughed, his voice was slightly croaky. Their interactions are very amusing!

Levi sent a glare in L's direction, while Hanji continued bouncing around hyperactively and giggling like crazy. "The fuck are you laughing at?" the short man snorted, his strangely-colored stormy gray-violet eyes narrowed.

"EHEHEH~! Hey, hey guys! Guys, we should have a laugh-off, AHAH! I bet Levi'll looooooose!"

L let out a last few chuckles before letting his expression revert to its creepy stare. "Ms. Zoe, did you know that your profile listed your gender as 'undefined'?"

Hanji chuckled at that, rolling her eyes. "Nahhhhhhhhhh, I'm female!" she chirped, bouncing around the panda-eyed man with a wide grin. "I've got booooooobs!"

"No you don't," Levi then snorted, rolling his eyes. "You're flat-chested as an ironing board."

"RUDE!"

"Ms. Zoe," L muttered, sucking on his finger and trailing Hange's movements with his eyes. "Please, collect yourself. Since we are now friends, I would like to go on a soul-collecting trip with you." He glanced at Levi. "Both of you." I knew I would be testing somebody's intelligence, so I set up traps that require great intellect in order to pass through. This will test whether or not they are intelligent.

"Ooooo, sounds like fun~!" Hanji chirped, grinning from ear to ear. "Can we go Levi?! Huh? Please~?"

"No."

"PLEASE?"

"...Fine. Fuckin' four-eyes..."

Levi then pulled himself away from the lockers he was leaning against, facing L and the very hyper Hanji.

"Alright, lead the way," he then huffed, arms crossed over his chest.

"YAY, FUN~!"

"Mm, okay." L turned and began tottering through the hallways. "We're going to Russia first, if that is okay with you." Some of the traps I have set up are too difficult for even me to get past. Will you be able to do it, Hange?

"Okay~!" Hanji chirped in response, bounding after L. Levi just followed with a bored, annoyed expression.

They soon arrived in Russia, where L stopped in the capital city- Moscow- and pointed towards one of the buildings surrounding the extravagant Kremlin.

"One of those inhabitants is on the list," he explained, referring to a single name: Kazimir Sizy. "He is 13 years of age, and is very sick. However... he is determined not to be caught by the reapers and is trying to cheat death. He set up a unique lock system in his house. You can likely see it from here."

The building L referred to had a bunch of locks on the door; they ranged from hasp locks to drum locks to sliding door locks. Even the windows were locked using advanced technology.

"I do not know anything about those locks," L lied. "But... I think it would be fun if we tried to break in before transporting inside. The to-die list is small today; we should enjoy ourselves first."

Hanji grinned widely, excitement clear in her eyes. "Ooo, a challenge~! I love challenges, eheheheh~! C'mon, let's break in!"

And then she moved towards whatever the first lock was, with Levi following after her.

"This is a hasp lock," L explained, pointing. "I'm not sure how to unlock them using mundane materials, however.. perhaps you know?" It's very easy, Ms. Zoe: simply remove the strap, then the pin, then the staple, and you'll be on to the next lock. Do you know how to do this?

"I can figure this one out, ten seconds flat~!" the eccentric woman chirped, bounding towards the lock. She first removed the strap, then the pin, and then the staple- just as she was supposed to. "There! Unlocked~!"

"Ah, wonderful," L replied. He then pointed towards the next lock- a simple padlock. "Try to unlock that one." Just a hairpin will do, darling.

"Oh, that's easy~!" Hanji snorted, bouncing over to the next lock. It, too, was very quickly unlocked.

L frowned a bit. "The last one is up there," he muttered, pointing a bony finger towards the very last lock- a fingerprint pad. If you know how to replicate fingerprints- which I doubt you do- then you will be unable to unlock that. It is breakable, though.. if you smash it, it will deactivate, allowing access to the building. He snorted. You're not a detective, though, and you do not appear to have taken any classes regarding criminal forensics in your lifetime. It is very unlikely that you will break through this lock.

Hanji studied the lock for a few moments, contemplating on how to do it. After a few moments, though, she gave up, stepping away from it. "I can't figure this one out..." she murmured, a serious expression on her face, much unlike her usual hyper tone- which showed she could in fact be serious when she wanted to be. "Maybe breaking it will allow access?"

"Give it a try," L suggested. "If this is a regular home, then there will be a garden tool somewhere. Here, I'll help you look." So you're not quite so talented at locks. You can be sensible when you want, though; breaking it is common sense. Impressive. He began searching the exterior walls for a tool of sorts. "Perhaps a shovel or a hoe would be best for this?"

"Oh, look, a hoe's standing right there," Levi then stated with a small smirk, pointing at Hanji.

"/Hey!/" she protested loudly, glaring in his direction. "Rude!"

Levi threw up his hands, chuckling a bit. "Kidding, kidding."

Hanji rolled her eyes and searched around for something to break the lock, soon finding a shovel. The woman then lifted it and swung at the lock, smashing it.

"We're in~!"

"Ah, well, let's go in, then." L stepped through the door, leading the way up the stairs and towards the bedroom area. He stopped in the doorway, peering in with a frown.

The room was dark, with only a beam or two of light shining through the blinds. The entire house was dusty, but L knew that shinigami could not get sick, so he didn't worry about stirring the dust. He did, however, worry about what he saw.

The body of a young teenager was strung up by the neck to the ceiling. His soul was nowhere in sight, but the death scene was a sight in of itself; blood covered his torso from where the rope was slicing into his neck, and his eyes were turned back into his head- meaning, they were a milky white color. He was half-rotten, with his flesh melting off of his face and hands. The roof was showing signs of deterioration, and the floor was weak, as though it could cave in at any moment.

"His soul must have been wandering the city for a very long time," L muttered, not wanting to risk falling through the floor and staying in the stable hallway. "This house.. it is very 1960's, isn't it? The only thing off about it is the modern locks. He must have passed away years ago- notice how cold it is? The house has been preserving his body, much like a fridge preserves a jar of berry jam." The man lowered his gaze to stare at the floor, and the tracks he had left in the dust.

"Not a soul has stepped inside this house for decades... so why did we find modern locks? We may have a murder on our hands that somebody covered up years after they committed the crime."

"Possibly," Hanji responded, staring at the body, completely unfazed by how gruesome and creepy it looked. "Actually, it looks quite likely..."

"Mr. Ackerman, you're the strongest shinigami in this house. You will be in charge of disposing the body." L turned and began to carefully meander his way back outside. "Ms. Zoe, please come with me. We will continue looking for his soul." And I will see how intelligent you really are. I have more tests that I set up, so please, do follow.

Levi snorted in contempt, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever..." he huffed, stalking away to dispose of the corpse. Hanji stalked after L, now looking at least somewhat serious, yet still excitable at the same time.

L hopped down from the elevated house and onto the concrete. He began to totter away towards the Kremlin, knowing fully well that what he had set up- and what they were about to do- was illegal. "Hurry up, Ms. Zoe. We don't have all day."

Hanji followed after him. Derp.

They finally reached the large, multicolored domes, and L took a step to the side, ushering Hange forward. "After you," he said plainly. You're going to be attacked by security. How well do you do in combat?

Hanji boldly walked forward, not even acknowledging any danger at all.

The security guards instantly tackled her to the ground. L merely stood by, watching with a thumb in his mouth, making sure he was a safe distance away.

Hanji very quickly kicked them off, whipping around and very quickly /owning/ their asses. All of the security guards were soon in a heap of unconsciousness, while Hanji just stood there, grinning and looking very amused.

L stepped over the unconscious guards and put a hand hesitantly on Hange's shoulder. "Alright," he muttered. "Come on." He began tottering away from the Kremlin, headed towards his next trap.

Hanji happily bounded after him, looking very pleased with herself.

They soon came upon a park. The boy's soul stood in the middle, and he stared with wide eyes at them.

L pointed at the boy. "Go get him," he said, reaching behind a tree and pressing a button. Red lasers lit up around the park, but they were knit together like a basket; it would be impossible to get by them without knowledge of how to disable them. Even I do not know how to get past the lasers. Please, demonstrate.

Hanji then turned to L, grinning. "You know what's funny about this soul-collecting mission~?" she chuckled with a small smirk.

"What?" he asked, expressionless and dull as he hid his emotions. Uh oh.

"We don't even have death scythes!" Hanji exclaimed, bouncing around and looking amused. "You can't collect souls without a scythe!"

"Death Note," L muttered, pulling the book out of his pocket and holding it up for Hange to see. "Write a name and that soul is collected... or, if the person is living, they die. The rule was changed a bit due to my mixed ethnicity; normally, if you write the name of someone dead, nothing will happen. Since I am a European shinigami, as well, I am able to collect souls by writing dead people's names. It is incredibly convenient."

"Oh," Hanji responded, blinking. "Well that's cool~!"

And with that, Hanji bounded away to disarm the lasers, and actually was able to disable them successfully.

L frowned. She was successful, but she had to rip up the wiring from the trees first. How thoughtful.

"Impressive. But, Hange, you are very stupid." His voice was soft. "Incredibly stupid. Small realizations have to add up, my dear, and they did not to you. You did not even consider the possibility of this being staged."

And with that, the 'soul' flickered a bit. L flipped another button, and the hologram vanished. "That body was surprising, though; I did not expect to find an actual dead person in the house I chose. That is an entire case in of itself."

"Oh, I knew it was staged," Hanji responded, grinning widely. "I'm not stupid, you know. I just really, really enjoy a challenge and such like this! It's fun~!"

"You are stupid," L repeated, turning and tottering slowly away. "Incredibly stupid, in fact." You just are, Hange Zoe. I dislike the way you operate. You are therefore an idiot.

"Hey! What the hell makes you say that?!" Hanji protested, dashing after him. "You saw what I could do, I'm not stupid! Far from it!"

"I say that because you operate in a less-than-pleasant manner," L replied casually. "You keep your understanding of things quiet, and you do not appear to be the kind of person who would tell me the truth in a serious situation. I don't normally speak my opinion on those kinds of things, but... I had very high hopes for you. In truth, you're just as stupid as any regular person." Also, your behavior is too carefree. You must be hiding something.

Hanji snorted at that, her demeanor going from hyperactive to serious. "Oh, please," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "You're pretty wrong about me, mister. I don't always keep my understanding of things quiet- in fact it's rare that I do! I always tell the truth to allies or friends in a serious situation. You only just met me, Ryuzaki, you shouldn't be so quick to judge."

"Quite true," Levi then commented, leaning casually against a tree. He had been there watching since the laser deactivation, only just now making his presence known. "Actually, she never shuts /up/ about her understanding of things. She's /always/ blabbing on non-stop about shit like that."

L grinned at that, closing his eyes and lowering his head. "My... apologies," he chuckled. "You are right, I should not be so quick to judge." I have every right to judge you, Ms. Hange, and I will do so for as long as I like. You, too, Ackerman; you're both very, very stupid. Intelligence is the ability to comprehend, the ability to learn new things quickly, the ability to deal with trying new things; it is the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria; it is the skilled use of reason. You have shown yourself to be very good at all of these things, yes; but... maybe I just don't like you. Is that so hard to believe?

L was in denial at his judgment; Hange was correct, and the evidence that Levi provided proved this. However, he was abstinent, and ignorant; he hated being wrong, especially when it came to someone's abilities, and the fact that Hange was as smart as him was making him a bit upset.

Hanji rolled her eyes at the man, and soon turned her back on him. "Ah, that was fun while it lasted, but c'mon. We should head back," she stated, beginning to walk off. Levi followed after her, retaining his bored, annoyed expression as always.

"Oh, that's not the end of my tests, though." L stopped. "Or are you uninterested at this point?"

"It's not?" Hanji then questioned, looking over her shoulder. "Well, if that's the case, then we'll stay.~"

Levi gave a small annoyed groan and faceplanted into the ground.

"This one is for you, Mr. Ackerman. You seem strong and agile... but I do not know for sure. Are you up for it?"

Levi huffed and stood again, turning to face L. "I never back down from a challenge," he stated gruffly, arms crossed over his chest and eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"Climb Mount Fuji," L replied, grinning under his breath. "And do it like a muggle."

"...Do it like a /what/?"

"You're uncultered," L huffed. "A muggle. A human. Someone ordinary."

"You mean a mortal?"

"Yes. An unimportant mortal."

"...Okay then," Levi huffed, rolling his eyes. "I'll climb this mountain of yours."

He then arrived at the mountain in question very quickly, by however shinigami travelled. Hanji had followed after him, staring as he then began to make his way up the mountain, with skilled strength, agility, and ease.

"Ahh, Mount Fuji," L chuckled lightly. "Unfortunately it happens to be an active volcano. We'll see if today's a lucky day."

Hanji grinned excitedly at that, cheering Levi on as he climbed. Within less than an hour, Levi had climbed a little over halfway up the mountain side.

The mountain began to rumble, causing L to grin creepily. His eyes darkened. Mr. Ackerman, I wish you luck," he called up to the climbing shinigami. "It would appear as though today is not your lucky day, eh?"

Levi merely snorted at that statement and continued to climb, ignoring the near-eruption state of the volcano.

Small puffs of smoke began rising from the top of the volcano, causing L to cock his head. He remained silent, however, and continued to watch the scene.

Levi soon came very close to the top, and the smoke flowed directly into his face. However, the shinigami then simply stopped breathing- he didn't even /hold/ his breath, he just /stopped/. He continued to press on, completely ignoring the danger.

"Mr. Ackerman, you are cheating," L called up. "No using abilities unavailable to mortals."

Levi huffed in annoyance and began breathing again. "That's stupid," he muttered under his breath as he pressed on. He ignored the smoke filling his lungs, though it caused him to cough and splutter quite often, the particles in the smoke beginning to irritate his throat and lungs. He however continued to press on.

Chunks of volcanic debris began rushing out of the crater. L frowned a bit.

"Come along, Mr. Ackerman; you surely know how to ignore the debris?"

Levi continued to press onwards, though he faltered a slight bit from the smoke and debris that continued to fill his lungs, and breathing became increasingly painful. He could have simply stopped, and the pain would go away, but he refused to back down.

He soon reached the very top, and turned to glare down at L.

"There, happy?" he hissed, voice rough and scratchy from the smoke.

"Now you have to come back down," L replied simply.

Levi gave an annoyed sigh and began the climb downwards.

The debris continued to tumble down, and L frowned a bit. "Go ahead and come back like a shinigami," he called. "I won't mind."

Levi gave a nod and took a flying leap away from the mountain, landing right beside Hanji. He did not look happy or comfortable in the least, and had stopped breathing.

"Fun?"

"No," Levi snapped, glaring at L. "Not at all."

"It was fun to watch, though."

"You know what else would be fun to watch?" Levi hissed, glaring intensely at L.

"My death?" L asked, a bit sarcastically. "My suffering?" Are you, by any chance, sadistic?

"No," Levi huffed, glaring. "It'd be fun to watch /you/ climb up that damn mountain and feel for yourself what you just put me through. You know, you shouldn't challenge people to do things you're too afraid to do yourself. It's only fair."

"I'm not climbing an active volcano," L replied. "I'm not physically fit enough. You, however, are. There is a difference, you know."

Levi huffed and turned his back. "Whatever," he snorted, coughing again from the smoke in his lungs. "C'mon, shitty four-eyes... we're going back now."

He then grabbed Hanji by her shirt collar and dragged her away, with her following after him with a dorky grin on her face. Herp.

"And I'll be on my way, as well," L muttered, turning and headed towards London. "I have business to attend to... thank you for your time, Mr. Ackerman and Ms. Zoe."

"Byeeeeee~!" Hanji called out, waving exaggeratedly at L with a wide grin as Levi continued to drag her after him with a very grumpy look on his face.

And so L arrived at the circus. He immediately began to seek out Sebastian, his eyes narrowed bitterly. I will make sure you do as told, Mr. Michealis.

Sebastian was actually not at the circus anymore at all, but at the London Townhouse. It was right after the part of episode 6 where Soma and Agni fawned over Ciel and forced him to stay before allowing him to leave again due to illness, and the young boy had /finally/ fallen asleep.

Sebastian was currently in the living room, sitting on a couch and discussing random topics with Soma and Agni.

When L didn't find Sebastian, he frowned and began tottering off to the townhouse. If he's not there I'll search the manor.

Finally, he reached his destination, and walked right on in without announcing his presence. He didn't need to worry about being seen- Sebastian was hopefully the only one.

"Mr. Michealis," he announced, coming to stand at the doorway. "You have more important things to be doing."

Sebastian glared at the shinigami, and stood from the couch. "One moment," he huffed to Soma and Agni, who watched him leave the room in confusion.

He then faced L, glaring. "And what are these 'important' things, Ryuzaki?" he questioned, sounding obviously annoyed. "My date with Grell isn't until Midnight."

"No," L replied. "You are correct; it is not until midnight. However, you have other things to attend to." You know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't you need to be at the circus, doing Ciel's work? Or... am I wrong? Oh, dear, I hope I'm not wrong; I hate being wrong in public.

"No, I do not," Sebastian snorted. "If you're referring to the circus, we're done there. We've obtained the information we need and can get from the circus. We're going to be going to another location to further investigate in the morning."

Dang. I was wrong. I can fix this..

"No, I was not referring to the circus at all," L replied. "Please, do try and follow along." Well... I can say I asked you to work on the Kira case, and then when you deny it, I can say that I mixed you with a different demon whose name I forgot. Yes, that's it.

"Then get out," Sebastian snorted in annoyance. "I have nothing else I have been given orders for."

"You're an unpleasant person," L snorted, turning and walking away. "You don't even have the decency to properly ask kindly." And with that, he left for the shinigami realm, deciding that his excuse was unnecessary.

Claude had been lying around by a tree, reading a book... when suddenly something heavy landed on his back. The shinigami gave a huff and looked up at the offender, which was L, who had transported right on top of him.

"...Kindly /get off/ of me," he stated in monotone, a deadpan expression on his face. "You're crushing my spine."

"...oh," L murmured, his eyelids heavy as he stepped carefully off of Claude. "I don't usually land on people. That's a first." He sounded mildly surprised, and he began chewing on a thumb. "I'm sorry."

Claude rolled his eyes and stuck his nose back in his book. "It's fine," he murmured in response. He then looked back up at L, a slightly joking look in his eyes. "...But you're paying the medical bill if you broke my spine."

L tilted his head to the side. "Your medical bill? Mr. Claude, you would not have a medical bill if your spine were broken. You would be casually tossed into a trashcan like the rubbish that you are." L's tone was monotone, but his words gave away that he was joking.

A sick, twisted joke. As usual.

Claude snorted in amusement at that. Ah, looks like he found another person with dry humor. "You do that and I'll come back to haunt you," he huffed, rolling his eyes. "I'll follow you around and make you mess up in front of everyone you know. Like a creepy invisible stalker."

"Creepy invisible stalker? You just described me, Mr. Claude," L replied. "And while we are on the subject of stalking... you drool in your sleep."

Claude rolled his eyes at that comment. "Yeah, well at least I don't devour sweets like a vaccuum with a bottomless pit."

"My metabolism is far faster than yours will ever be. Have you ever considered weight loss therapy?"

"Actually, I'm a healthy weight. As for you, you're more like a pencil than a human, so damn skinny. It's a wonder you can eat so many sweets and still look emaciated. It's not exactly healthy."

L lifted up his shirt, carefully examining his ribs. "...ah," he muttered, letting his shirt fall back into place. "The brain is the most hard-working muscle," he explained. "If you use it enough, you can eat whatever you like, whenever. In fact, if you use your brain... you lose lots of weight." He pointed towards Claude. "Which would explain your obesity."

"I am not obese," Claude simply stated, rolling his eyes again. "I am actually quite skinny... just not as emaciated as you are. Maybe I should rename you and call you Twig."

"I don't care," L replied simply. "You're not at all intelligent; if anything, you are as 'dumb as a rock', as Yagami-kun would likely say."

"And you're a smartass."

[ 24 PM | 53 PM] "At least my ass is smart."

"At least I don't look like a raccoon."

"Raccoons are clever. Unlike yourself."

"Raccoons eat garbage."

"And sweets are garbage, I must admit. Do not compare me to an animal; I am a very frightening monster, but not a feral mammal."

"Then don't call me dumb."

"But you are."

"I beg to differ."

"Then, please, prove yourself to me."

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

"Intelligence can be measured in several different ways. A series of exercises may be the necessary action to take in order for me to understand your true abilities."

"Alright then, test me."

"I am going to give you a series of instructions, and if you perform the tasks correctly, then we will move on."

"Alright then."

And so L gave Claude a series of tasks to perform, most of which were fairly easy but one or two that were difficult.

And Claude completed all of them effectively.

"Well done. But, you're still unintelligent. What are your grades?"

"All As."

"GPA?"

"4.0."

"Preferred subjects?"

"Soul collection, agility, and..." he trailed off at the last one, going slightly red with embarrassment.

"And?" Oh dear.

"...Tap dancing."

"..." L just stared at Claude, expressionless. Tap dancing? What even...

Claude just stared back, his face also expressionless. "Yeah, I know. You think it's stupid."

"Not necessarily," L murmured. "Would you mind dancing for me?" This is going to be amusing.. "For scientific purposes, of course."

"Wait, what?" Claude was pretty shocked at that question, staring at L with a dumbfounded expression.

"I need to know how emotionally stable you are," L explained. "Please, dance for me."

"Uh... okay," Claude responded, eyes slightly widened in surprise. And then he began to do as L asked, and damn, he was extremely good at it.

L watched, incredibly amused- actually, 'incredibly' would be an understatement. Wow. Such impeccable dancing skills! Because obviously that gets someone very far in life.

Claude finally stopped, completely red in the face. "There, happy?" he muttered, looking quite flustered. "...I hate doing that in front of people. It's... embarrassing, to say the least."

"Impeccable," L simply commented, though his eyes showed his extreme amusement.

Claude stared at L, blinking. "Most people just call me a wierd nerd or something."

"I play tennis," L replied. "Would you be interested in a game?" His voice was a higher pitch than usual; it was obvious that he was holding back laughter. He was trying to be nice.

Claude noticed that L was attempting to hold back laughter, and he became even more embarrassed. When L asked about Tennis, though, he then cocked his head to the side. "Tennis..?" he repeated, blinking. "Uh.. sure, I guess."

"Al- alright, then!" L squeezed his eyes shut, covering his mouth with a hand as he grinned uncontrollably. Tap dancing? And, you're quite good at it, too!.. He was trying very, very hard not to laugh, though he knew that trying so hard would only result in failure.

Claude sent a light glare at L. "Go ahead and laugh," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "I know it's stupid. I do it because it's a good way to channel my hyperactive energy without bouncing all over the place and acting like Hanji. I actually have a /lot/ of energy, but I like having a calm personality instead of being all hyper and looking stupid, so.."

L was able to calm himself down. He looked at Claude, wiping tears from his eyes and grinning broadly. "N-no, I- I'm okay. I'm okay." He forced his expression to be emotionless. "Please, follow me." He turned and began walking towards one of the buildings, where he knew there was sports equipment.

Claude followed after him with a slightly annoyed expression.

They reached the building, and L held the door open for Claude, ushering him inside. "It's a gymnasium," he explained. "I'm lucky I found it. They have quite a bit of dancing things in there, as well..."

"I am not dancing in front of you again, if that's what you're suggesting," Claude snorted, entering the building. "It's embarrassing, and you were nearly laughing."

"Still am," L replied quietly, entering after Claude. "Now, how about some good old.. bonding time? I need friends, as do you, Mr. Claude."

Claude blinked and looked back at L, eyebrow quirked. "...Bonding time?"

[ 14 PM | 18 PM] "...may have worded that wrong," L replied.

Claude snorted in amusement. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Raccoon-eyes."

"Close," L murmured. "It's Ryuzaki."

"I know. It's called teasing."

"I'm not very good at detecting that."

Claude rolled his eyes at that, making his way over to one of the little bleacher-bench thingies and plopping himself down on it. "So, what now?"

"Tennis?" L asked, grabbing a racket out of a box and tossing it at Claude.

Claude caught the racket and stood, facing L. "Yeah, sure," he stated, tilting his head. "Let's play.~"

L grabbed a ball and walked over to the tennis court, where he took up one side and raised the green ball. "I'll serve," he muttered, watching Claude intently and waiting for the other to confirm that he was ready.

Claude gave a nod and stood to the other side, ready. Herp.

L tossed the ball in the air and served, and the game was on.

Claude quickly hit it back, and the game continued like that for a while until someone eventually won. Hurr.

The winner was L, who was now pacing the court and biting his nails. You show very poor tennis skills, but... you're an incredible dancer. Seriously. You could earn money from that.

"To be fair, would you feel better if I were to dance? I forced you to do so, and.. it's only fair."

"Sure, have at it," Claude responded, sitting down in one of the random chairs around the gym.

L frowned. "At a later time," he replied, not exactly enthusiastic about it after hearing Claude's tone.

Claude rolled his eyes and leane back into the chair. "Alright then... so, what do ya wanna do now?"

"...would a cake-eating session be appropriate?"

Claude stared at L with a deadpan expression. "Annnnd what I said earlier about you being a bottomless vaccuum pit for sweets is shown," he then joked, rolling his eyes. "Alright, I guess we can do that."

"Okay," L mumbled in response, making his way out of the gymnasium. "Cake is always appropriate."

Claude followed after him. Derp.

[ 22 PM | 25 PM] L transported himself into the human world, where he glanced at Claude. "You'll have to lead the way, I'm afraid; I do not wish to.. reveal myself at this time." He didn't recall having told the other about his Death Note, and he had quickly put an end to the rumors. Hopefully Claude would not know about it.

Claude gave a nod, after transporting right beside L, and made his way towards a bakery. Herp.

L followed, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

The baker glanced up from his place behind a display case. "Ah, will it be just you, sir? Or will you be joined by someone?"

"Just me," Claude responded plainly.

"Wow. How considerate," L snorted, taking a seat by the window. He can't know about my Death Note. It seems as though even I cannot keep a secret anymore.

Claude internally chuckled at the other shinigami's comment. "It's just me, though I'd like enough for two, and to go. I'm bringing some home for a friend of mine."

[ 10:40:46 PM] "Two... whats?" the baker asked, tilting his head and chuckling. "Place your order, sir! I'll make up whatever ya need." He smiled. "Who's this friend of yours? A lady friend?"

"Two cakes, please," Claude responded. "Strawberry. And no, he's not a woman."

"Ah, sorry," the man chuckled, reaching into his display case and pulling out the pastries. He packed them up and put them into a To-Go box. "You did say to-go, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then. Here you are." He handed the box to Claude. "That comes to a total of $15.67."

Claude pulled out the money and handed it to the man, before then grabbing the boxes. "Thanks," he said plainly, turning and leaving the building.

"H-hey!" L exclaimed, leaping to his feet and racing after Claude. "Wait for me."

Claude chuckled a bit at the other shinigami. "C'mon, let's hit my apartment. We can eat there," he stated, before then poofing to his destination and setting the cakes on a coffee table and sitting on a couch.

L poofed there, as well, preferring to stand instead of sit. "After you, Mr. Claude," he muttered, motioning towards the cakes. "I have to leave soon, though. It is almost Midnight, and I have... plans."

CLaude gave a nod and cut into the cakes, handing a few slices to L and taking a few for himself, munching on it.

L downed the cake in seconds and glanced at the clock. "Everything is falling into place," he murmured, his mouth full.

"What do you mean by that?" Claude questioned, cocking his head to the side.

"Kira," L replied simply.

"Sorry, I don't follow."

"That's okay. You don't have to." L paused. "Since I consider you a friend, would you be interested in joining me? I don't want to explain anything, so allow your questions to answer themselves."

"Sure," Claude responded, blinking. "I have nothing else interesting to do, after all."

"Ah, okay," L replied, vanishing into the romantic clearing he'd set up earlier. He approached the seated Grell and frowned.

"Where is Mr. Michealis?" he asked quietly.

Claude also appeared, hiding in a tree, gazing at the other shinigami. At L's question, another figure then stepped out of the shadows, somehow more elegantly dressed than usual, a soft little smirk on his face. "I'm right here," the demon in question stated, fully revealing himself as he stepped into the more lighted area.

"Ah, please, have a seat," L replied, ushering the demon into the chair and poofing into waiter's clothing. He motioned quietly for Claude to do the same.

"Here, take a look at the menus," he said politely, popping the rectangular booklets in front of both of them. He kept his eyes closed and bowed a bit. "I brought along a friend for the evening. And, here, a wine selection." He popped another menu in front of them. "Enjoy." He then retreated to the tree, where he very quietly spoke to Claude. "I hope I don't have to explain. Please, help me wait on them. Grell won't be of assistance to me unless this follows through perfectly. Please, help me out a bit."

Claude stared at the two supernatural being which were supposed to be on a date, blinking. "Wow, Grell's finally found a date?" he chuckled, teasingly. "Surprising... though, as an answer to your question, sure."

Sebastian then waltzed right up to Grell, grabbing one of his hands and raising it to his lips, putting on a very convincing seductive show. "Hello, /my lady/," the demon purred, giving a small smirk. Grell flushed red at that, his eyes widening in surprise as Sebastian then released his hand and stalked over to his own chair, sitting across from him.

Claude stared at the exchange in astonishment. "Wow. He's..."

"Sh," L immediately said, slapping a finger across Claude's mouth. "Silence." He then approached, a small grin on his face. "How about some violin music by our other waiter?" he asked, motioning for Claude to join them. "The mood will surely be set by then. And... have you looked over the menu yet?"

Sebastian glanced up at L, eyebrow lightly twitching, the only sign he gave that he really did not want to be here. "No, not yet," he responded, voice silky and smooth, completely untainted by the tone of annoyance. "I will get to that right away... How about you, /my lady~?/"

Grell grinned a bit, face red as he then picked up the menu, burying his face in it. Sebastian glanced over it as well, as Claude then leaped down from the tree with a violin, playing a soft, romantic tune.

"Je ne veux pas être ici, non plus. Je vais vous offrir tout ce que vous me demandez; juste, se il vous plaît, porter à travers," L said smoothly, making it sound as though he were listing specials or something of the sort. In truth, he was speaking directly to Sebastian. I don't want to be here, either. I will offer you anything you ask of me; just, please, bear through.

"Have you... looked over the menu yet?" he asked with a small bow, keeping true to the romantic atmosphere.

"Yes, that is what I am currently doing," Sebastian responded, still looking over the menu.

Claude stared at Sebastian, perplexed. There was something about him, something /strange/ that he hadn't sensed before on other demons. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was definitely something off about Sebastian. But... what was it.

Sebastian seemed to fix a similar gaze on Claude every now and then, as well... thinking the same thing about him.

"Take your time," L replied, bowing again and backing away. He glanced at Claude and motioned towards them; pester them until they make a decision, or I'll just bring them takeout.

After a moment, Sebastian decided to order some random menu item, and Grell did the same.

"We're ready to order," Sebastian then called out, gesturing the Claude. The shinigami made his way over to the table, a little notepad and a pen in his hands.

"What will you be having?" he questioned the two, smiling pleasantly down at them like a waiter is supposed to.

"I'll have the [Insert random food here]," Sebastian responded.

"I'll take the [insert random food item here]," Grell stated with a small, shy grin. Sebastian gave his signature demonic smile back, causing the redhead to get all flustered over it again.

"Alright, I will get those for you right away," Claude then said with a light bow, before turning away from the table.

"I'm just getting them takeout," L muttered quietly as he brushed past Claude, taking the notepad as he did so and vanishing. Seconds later, he reappeared, holding the food items and bringing them to the table.

"Would you like some wine, or conversation-starting cards?" he asked pleasantly, placing a small cardboard box on the table. It was filled with cards which had topics for conversation on them. I have not seen a conversation starter since the 1970's, he thought to himself. But, they'll probably know what this is. Hopefully Sebastian'll get around to kissing Grell soon so I can have my puppet.

"Conversation starting cards?" Sebastian questioned, eyebrow raised. Grell also looked confused at the concept.

"Yes," L replied, exasperated at having to explain a very old custom. "They have topics on them. Pick a card and read the topic out loud, and there you have it: a conversation. It was a fad in the 1960's and 1970's, possibly the 1980's."

"...But it's the 1800s.." Grell stated in confusion. "Are you a time traveler or something?"

L's eyes immediately widened. "..." Gave too much away, haven't I? Just another thing I've messed up...

"...enjoy your meal," he quipped, turning and stalking away quickly.

Grell and Sebastian both blinked in confusion, but soon turned their attention back to eachother- with Sebastian very seductively flirting with Grell.

L watched, leaning against a nearby tree with his eyes narrowed. Very impressive, Mr. Michealis. Kissing time? I want my marionette.

Sebastian was seriously trolling L, and prolonging the actual kissing as long as possible, instead sticking the flirting, and even inviting his shinigami date to /dance/, which they did to the tune of Claude's violin.

L glared intensely at Sebastian. Clever.

Sebastian and Grell danced for quite a while, the typical dance of couples at English balls in this century. The demon dipped the shinigami, twirled him, and finally, after a while, he finally dipped the shinigami for the last time, whispered seductive things to him, and /finally/ kissed him.

And damn, Grell couldn't have been happier at that moment.

And as for Claude... well, he just didn't really care.

L's eyes widened significantly. Wow.. he went in for it, didn't he? Now I have my puppet. Thank you, Mr. Michealis. I am indebted to you.

...And then the two of them actually made out. Internally, Sebastian gagged and it took /all/ of his self control not to yank himself away and keep on.

Finally, after 3 minutes, the torture was over, and they pulled away. Sebastian couldn't have been more glad that it was over. It was /horrible/.

He then glanced at his pocketwatch, taking note of the light hours beginning to appear.

"Apologies, my lady... but I must be gone now," the demon stated, blowing a light kiss to the shinigami. "Farewell, my dear, I shall see you again another day."

And with that, he left, leaving Grell dreamy-eyed and grinning stupidly.

L frowned a bit and approached Grell, poofing into his regular clothing as he did so. He also made a megaphone appear, which he turned on and held up to Grell's ear.

"MR. SUTCLIFF!" he hollered, his grey eyes heavy. This should wake him from his dream-like state.

Grell suddenly jolted out of his stupor. "EH?! Whaaaa-?" He glanced over at L, and noticed the megaphone. "..Oh."

"Will you now be my puppet?" L asked, turning off the megaphone. "Will you now work for me on the Kira case?"

"...My fingers were crossed," Grell responded simply with a light chuckle.

L stared at him, his expression going blank. He turned and began slowly tottering away, his shoulders sagging and his walk more of a stumble than anything else. He was walking in the direction of where Sebastian had gone, to pay up for what he'd put the demon through.

Grell just smirked in amusement and poofed away to his apartment, flopping down on the couch and grinning like an idiot. Claude just stood there, still at the date spot, with a dumbfounded expression. He then dashed after L, soon catching up with him, and walked beside him in silence.

"I suspected- I-" L couldn't seem to find his words as he continued to stumble in the direction of Sebastian. "No- I didn't. I didn't even come close to thinking of the possibility that Mr. Sutcliff would do such a thing. Mr. Michealis only did that because I asked him to- it was Grell's condition. I-" He bowed his head, supporting himself on the nearby trees. "I have to pay up now. I thought it would be worth it. Please do not mention Grell's response to Sebastian- leave it to me."

"Alright," Claude murmured in response. "What exactly was the deal between you two, anyway? You know, uh... Grell and I are pretty close, you know- He's a good friend of my father, helped raise me as a kid. I could try to convince him to help you, if you want- He might listen to me."

"No, I want to see Near finish this for me," L replied. "I want to know- no, I need to know- whether or not my decision was wise. But... the deal? He told me I would 'owe him big time' after the ordeal. I simply need to be told what to do."

"Alright then," Claude responded, blinking. "By the way, um... When I was around that demon- Sebastian, right? There's something really strange about him. I don't know what it is, but there's this odd sense, aura I get when around him that I've never gotten from other demons..."

"He may be a relative of yours," L replied. "You look very much alike, you know."

"No way," Claude scoffed at the thought. "I can't be related to a /demon/. I'm a shinigami! Technically, we're supposed to be enemies."

"Your eye color speaks for itself," L simply replied, still staggering.

"I'm /not/ half demon. I'm probably half vampire or angel or something, but my father would /never/ get with a demon. He /hates/ them."

"Who is your father? William, am I correct?"

"Yes. He is."

"Put the pieces together," L replied. "You're related to Mr. Michealis in some way, shape, or form. Just because your father hates them doesn't mean you aren't relatives somehow." He paused. "He could be your distant cousin, for example."

"Tch..." Claude huffed, rolling his eyes. "I doubt it."

"Alright," L accepted, finally catching up to Sebastian. He straightened his posture and looked up at Sebastian, staring the taller male in the eye.

"Mr. Michealis, I believe I must pay my part," he muttered to the 6"1 individual.

Sebastian turned to glance at the shinigami, quirking a brow. "Ask another time, I don't have anything I can think of at the moment."

"Due to the disgusting acts I have forced you to do, I will always be of service," L replied before vanishing back to the shinigami world, in which he promptly collapsed to the ground in a mess of exhaustion. "All of that trouble and waiting, for nothing... ugh..."

Claude followed after L, crouching down beside him. "Hey, if you wanna stay at my place for the night, you can. I'd just, you know, assume you wouldn't want to stay at Grell's, after he tricked you like that."

"Thank you for your kindness," L replied, his voice muffled from the ground that he was currently faceplanted into. "I will accept your offer. Please, lead the way. I will follow."

Claude gave a light grin and led the way. They soon arrived at his apartment, and the shinigami then flopped himself down on a couch. "You're free to anything in the fridge, and you can sleep wherever you want."

"Mm, the floor will be adequate, thank you," L replied, once again collapsing to the ground. "It's far more comfortable than anything I have slept on as of yet." Why did I not see rejection? Why was I so ignorant? I should have seen the possibility. I must be stupid.

"...Alright then," Claude responded with a small hint of amusement. "Suit yourself."

"You saw that," L muttered, his voice muffled. "Were you expecting Mr. Sutcliff's response? All of that was staged... all of it was precariously planned so it would go in my favor... and it backfired."

"Actually, no," Claude responded with a frown. "Though, I suppose I should've... Grell's always been the very devious type. He'll do anything to get what he wants, and, well... that includes tricking and lying to people."

"His lies went unnoticed by the lie master himself," L replied, referring to himself in third person. "The lie master is very unamused."

"I would imagine," Claude responded, resting one leg over the other. "I'll admit, Grell's a pretty damn good trickster... he's like a fox."

"I didn't even think about it... ugh.." L was very obviously miserable as he lay on the floor, unmoving.

"There's still some cake left, if that'll cheer you up," Claude then offered, cocking his head to the side. "I've heard you're a real sucker for sweets."

"Please," L muttered in response. He slowly grabbed a hand into his hair, trying to release the rage he was feeling in a calm and collected manner. "Thank you."

"No problem," Claude responded, standing and exitting the room. He soon returned with a plate of cake and handed it to the other man, before then sitting down on the couch once again.

L remained faceplanted into the floor. However, he took the fork in a hand and slowly brought the cake under his face and into his mouth. He quickly finished it off and let out a massive huff of breath. "I was wrong. I hate being wrong. I lost. I can't lose; I'm not a loser. I'm a winner. But I lost. This is affecting me negatively."

Claude frowned at that, glancing sympathetically at L. He had no idea what to say to cheer the other man up, so he remained silent.

"I want to visit my butler," L complained bitterly, "but I can't. This is also negatively affecting me."

"If I could take you, or somehow get you there, I would offer to," Claude then murmured. "But unfortunately, I can't."

"Neither should you be able to. I have experienced first-hand what it is like to have too much power in the wrong hands." L sighed and stood up, scratching at the back of his neck. "I wish to leave something for him, if that makes sense... would you like to accompany me?"

"Sure," Claude responded, blinking in confusion but not questioning the other man. He stood, making his way over to stand beside L.

"Wonderful," L replied. "He always has been a 'sucker' for flowers, as you might call him. Come along, then; let's go to a flower boutique." And with that, he puffed off to buy flowers.

Claude, unknown to L, also enjoyed flowers and other things of nature. He followed after L without a word. Herp.

L pointed towards a single, black rose, unable to pick it up himself since the shop managers would see a floating flower and floating money. "Please buy this for me," he muttered.

Claude nodded at that and grabbed the flower, and and soon paid for it. Herp.

L grabbed the flower from Claude and quickly poofed to the cemetery in which Watari was buried. He scanned the lines of gravestones and frowned. "I can't locate it," he murmured. "I do not know if it was marked or not... hmmph." He began tottering along, the rose tucked into his pocket and hidden.

Claude also began to search, helping the other man out. Being a more 'senior' shinigami, despite still being in training, he could sense the lingering presence of soul scent from a dead body, and soon was able to find Watari's gravestone.

"This is it," he then announced, pointing to it. Herp.

L placed the rose on the grave and stared at it, reading all of the words on it and reading them internally.

"Never did get to say goodbye," he muttered. "Mkay then. Bye." He then turned and began tottering away.

"You're free to come back to my apartment, if you want," Claude then stated, facing the man who was walking away. "I'll be heading back now.. unless you wanted to go somewhere else, and me to come with."

"I'm just gonna... go to sleep now.." L replied, falling to his knees and bowing his head. "I really, really hate being wrong, you know."

Claude frowned at that and stalked over, kneeling by L and resting a light hand on his shoulder. "We all do," he murmured, in an attempt to be comforting. "But things'll get better- At least you're not always wrong, right? A little mess up now and then isn't too bad."

"Ah, that's where you're wrong," L murmured, staring coldly at the pebbles on the ground. "You've seen my cinematic record. You know that any mistakes made were, well... pretty dire mistakes. Any little wrongdoing on my part could easily result in someone's death, or worse. I'm still in that mindset of reaper-to-sower; I cannot mess up or there will be dangerous consequences."

Claude glanced away from L, staring to the side, eyes a bit downcast. "Apologies," he then muttered. "...I was merely trying to be helpful. I know, I'm... not very good at it."

"It's the thought that counts," L replied, standing and extending a hand to the kneeling shinigami. "Your apartment, you say? I may just have to accept that offer." I wonder how Near is doing...

Claude gave a small, friendly smile at that and took the other man's hand, hauling himself up. "Alright, come on then," he said, before turning and stalking away towards his apartment.

L followed, and soon they were there. He frowned a bit, actually taking in all that he saw.

"Do you have a laptop, or cameras, or... something of the like?"

"Yes, I do in fact have a laptop," Claude responded. He then left the room and brought in a laptop of a brand never seen on Earth: A laptop made by a shinigami, never to be sent to Earth, one more powerful, fast, and efficient than any human-invented laptop. It was a fucking super-laptop, better than even an Alienware.

L's eyes immediately lit up when he saw it. He snatched it and leaped onto the couch, and began messing around with it. At one point, he even began dissecting it.

Within the matter of a few hours, he had figured it out, as well as how it had been manufactured. "Handmade," he murmured. "But very nice. I could use this for much more than recreational purposes."

Claude nodded at that. "Yeah, it's really powerful. It's got a 1500 Core processor, 20,000,000GB storage space, and a bunch of other stuff. It never lags, ever, and has lightning-fast internet, as well as epic graphics... Hanji made it."

"And L destroyed it," L replied, picking up the laptop and quickly walking towards the wall. He rammed the laptop into it for as long as it would take to smash the thing. When the ordeal was over, he picked up the pieces and threw them out the window.

"Hanji can fix it," he snapped, suddenly in a very bad mood. Hanji is seen as a god-like figure by these pigs. But I can be better. I'm smarter than her, I have to be.

Claude suddenly lunged up at that moment, gripping L by the shirt collar and slamming him into the wall. "You fucking /idiot/!" he snarled, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you know how much shit I had on there that is fucking /lost/ now?! Do you fucking know how much that costed?! You can't just fucking destory other people's shit, you stupid little fuck!"

He then dragged L to the door, harshly shoving him out. "If you can't respect my shit, then fucking /leave/, asshole!"

"Ah, knew it," L replied. "Actually, no; more like I called that one." And with that, he walked away, leaving behind the apartment and the person whose status with him was unknown as of that point. No relationship or friendship lasts. People and shinigami are very similar in that fashion: both are scum.

Claude continued to seethe over this for a few moments, before finally calming down. He gave a sigh and flopped onto his couch, burying his face in his hands. /Way to go, Claude, you just chased away someone who might've been your only real friend.../ he thought with an internal groan, as he began to realize: He could've just had Hanji fix it, and L seemed to be annoyed whenever Hanji was brought up, and remembered from his records that he hated being bested by others.

After a while, Claude then stood and dejectedly followed after L, soon catching up.

"Look, Ryuzaki," he began averting his gaze. "I'm sorry- I shouldn't have flipped out on you like that. I was just angry at the time, okay? I kind of... well... sometimes lose logical reason when I'm pissed off.. And I'm sorry for bringing Hanji, up, too.. I wasn't thinking about that aspect of things..."

He hoped L would know what he meant when he said that.

"No need to apologize to me," L replied, looking at Claude. "I am not the one who is infuriated, remember?" Or did you forget? I broke your laptop. Not the other way around. I just... cannot stand to hear Hanji's name.

"We'll refer to her as 'pig' from now on," he grunted, thinking out loud and expressing his dislike for the woman. "Pig is a very suitable name for such a person."

"No, but I snapped at you and shoved you out," Claude murmured in response, staring at the ground. "I fucked up... so I'm sorry."

He completely ignored his comment about Hanji, deciding to neither scold him for it or support it.

"Language," L warned. "Please." Pig is an idiot and we both realize it. I could go for a cake or two right now, though, but I just ate. "Let's return to your apartment, shall we? I can build you another laptop, if you like."

Claude gave a small smile, and nodded. "Sure... let's go then."

He then turned and headed back to the apartment, grateful that he had been forgiven.

L followed after him, feeling absolutely nothing whatsoever. Every emotion left him, and he became a dead husk of what he used to be. It was only temporary, though; he'd been through a lot that day, and was emotionally exhausted.

They soon reached the apartment again, and Claude laid himself down on the couch. "Again, you're free to sleep wherever you'd like," he then murmured, glancing over at L. "And if you want any food, help yourself."

"Do you have anything else that Pig manufactured?"

"I'm afraid to answer that question, you might go on a rampage and destroy all my stuff."

"You are implying that everything you own was made by Pig."

"Nah, not everything, but a few things. I'd rather not say what though because like I said, you might go on a rampage and break everything she made."

"Yes, that is correct. I also do not want to touch anything she made. Are the beds and chairs not made by her? That would be wonderful. If they are, though, then I will take my place in the corner on the floor."

"No, nothing that is non-technological was made by her."

"I am appalled! Beds are very technologically advanced, Mr. Claude!"

"/You know what I mean./"

"Yes, I do. And I am tired. I may retire early. Where are the bedrooms?"

"Through the hallway, second door on the left."

"That implies that there is only one. And that the one is yours. Do you have a guest room? I do not want to take your space away from you."

"That is the guest room, my room's the fourth door."

"Good to know, thank you." And with that, L walked down the hall, entering the second door on the left. He didn't make it all the way to the bed before he was asleep; he just sort of slumped onto it, half of his body on the floor and his head and arms on the top. Boy, had it been a long day.

Claude also went to bed, falling asleep as well, a random cat that L had not yet met curled up at his side.

And so the night passed, and the next morning came. L was having severe nightmares and had curled up under the bed, sucking on his thumb intently and staring with bitter anger at the far door. I never have such severe dreams... I felt like I was suffocating... sleep apnia, as Watari once called it. I hate sleeping for this reason.

Claude soon woke up, and soon after awakening himself, he began to prepare breakfast. He ended up making enough for two people, in case L was still there and hadn't left, if he wanted any. When breakfast was prepared, the shinigami then left the kitchen to go check in on L and see if he was awake yet, or even if he was still there, and if he was, wake him up for food. The shinigami made his way towards L's room, opening the door and gazing inside. He caught sight of L's foot sticking out from under the covers. He gave a small chuckle at the sight and approached L, lightly lifting up the blankets to poke at him and wake him up. However, he then noticed that the other man was curled up, sucking his thumb, looking very unhappy, and frowned intensely at the sight.

"Hey, L, wake up," he then lightly commanded, placing a hand on L's shoulder and lightly shaking him. "You okay?"

L swiveled his eyes to look up at Claude. "Sleep apnia," he grunted, climbing quickly out of the bed and racing into the living room. "Race ya to breakfast!" Change of topic: childish games. Take the hint, my friend.

Claude frowned a bit at that, but took the hint that L didn't seem to want to talk about it, and raced after him. L beat him to the kitchen though, which... was slightly on purpose, on his part. When he reached the kitchen a few seconds after L, he then made his way over to the counter and grabbed the few plates of food and carried them over to the table, setting one down on one side of the table, and his own on the other. As he sat himself down, he was then faced with a cat winding itself around his legs, meowing quietly.

"No, Riva, you can't have my food," Claude huffed sternly at the cat, reaching down and lightly shoving the animal away. "You know you don't get my food, begging is pointless."

"C- cat," L grunted, his eyes widening at the sight of the feline. He quickly shoveled food into his mouth and backed away from the table. "Cats sit on my chest and make me feel as though I am suffocating... I'm- I'm paranoid of suffocating.."

Claude blinked at that, tilting his head to the side. "Don't worry, Riva hates sitting on peoples' chests," Claude then stated. "He was abused as a kitten, so he's kind of scared of human contact. The most he'll ever do with even me is to lay beside me. He won't hurt you, I promise."

"Ah, ah... o- okay.." L was still a bit hesitant, and he glanced down at his hands. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Claude questioned, head tilted.

"What do you think of my cinematic record?"

"...What do you mean by that?"

"What does it look like? I don't think anyone has truly seen my entire life from beginning to end..."

"...Well, it looked like a Cinematic Record," Claude responded, blinking. "You lived an interesting, yet... sad, life."

"Beginning to end," L replied. "Think about it. Dissect it. You are the only one who saw it from beginning to end. I haven't even seen it. Tell me: at what age did all of these.. changes.. happen? Why am I the way I am? And, more importantly, why the hell do I fear suffocation?"

Claude then began to retell the events of L's life from what he had seen on the Record, including why the other man was afraid of suffocation.

What? I don't remember that at all. "Please repeat the part about the suffocation," L murmured, averting his gaze. "I don't think I remember that all."

Claude then repeated it.

"I was buried by bullies," L repeated bitterly. "Isn't that nice? Hmm... You know, I just had an idea. What if there was a book that contained all of your personality traits, as well as the names of the people who gave them to you? I would read it, Mr. Claude; but would you?"

"There are books like that, actually," Claude then stated, blinking. "In the Shninigami library- there are books that accurately document every person's life from beginning to end, as well as stating names of other people who were involved."

"No, no, that's not what I meant at all," L replied. "Aaaaanyway... I think I'd like to bug Mr. Michealis until he gives me something to do. Feel free to come along if you like. And, thank you for the delicious breakfast." And with that, he poofed away, searching for Sebastian.

Claude followed after him, but Ciel and Sebastian were in the middle of episode 7, so they both went completely ignored.

Meanwhile, episode 32 of Death Note was happening, in which Mikami obtained the notebook. Either Grell acted now, or his job of finding out that Mikimi was suspicious would be taken by Gevanni.

Grell was in fact the one who discovered Mikami, and was currently working with Near behind L's back.

L finally let out a small huff and walked away. "I'm going to walk around or something," he muttered. "Being a God of Death is incredibly boring. I can somewhat understand why the Japanese shinigami waste their time gambling all day; they're bored."

"Alright then," Claude responded, walking beside him. "You want me to come along with you?"

"If you want to, sure," L replied. "I may even visit the Japanese shinigami realm. Would you be willing to do so with me?"

"Sure. Those guys are kinda ugly though," Claude snorted in amusement, continuing to walk beside L.

"I think they're fascinating." L paused and poofed up to the Japanese realm, where the shinigami there gratefully invited him to a game a poker, which he accepted.

"Mr. Claude, do you actually know how to play?" he asked his friend in an undertone.

"Yes, I do," Claude responded, joining in the game. "You can thank my strange uncle for that..."

"Mm, good," L muttered in response, and soon the game began, with Claude winning overall and L storming off to punch at a bunch of rocks.

Once again, he'd been beaten at something.

The Japanese shinigami were howling with laughter as they watched L's reactions, which angered L to the point of sitting down and becoming about as emotionless as a brick wall.

Claude frowned a bit as L stormed off, and soon followed after him, gaze sympathetic. He then cautiously approached him, frowning a bit and sitting down nearby.

"Hey, come on, calm down..." he murmured, glancing over at him. "I just got lucky. I'm sure you'll win another time... hey, if you want, we could have a rematch?"

"No," L muttered in response, standing and walking towards the Japanese shinigami. "It's not that... I do not take kindly-" He grabbed one of them by the arm and slammed it into the ground. "-to being-" He then kicked at three of the others' eyes, forcing them to the ground and making them scramble away in fear. "-laughed at." He didn't even have to make a move for the remaining one- it stood and took off, laughing maniacally at L's reaction. The man frowned a bit and turned to glance at Claude, exasperated. "You would expect legitimate Gods to be unafraid of anything, but I instill terror into their hearts. That is an accomplishment. Forget the game; I win."

Claude cracked a small grin at that. "Yeah, you really showed them," he commented, watching them run off. "They deserved it, they're assholes... Why laugh at someone just for losing a game of Poker, anyway?"

"That is not the case," L pointed out. "They were laughing because I expressed my anger. Please, do try to keep up."

"True," Claude murmured, blinking. "Either way, they should've kept their mouths shut."

"I think they have a right to express their feelings. They are superior." L snarled a bit at that. "I hate that almost as much as I hate socks, or cellphones..."

Claude snorted at that. "They're not superior, they're lazy, rude, good-for-nothing jerks who /act/ superior. In reality, Japanese shinigami are /equal to/ other shinigami, not greater. In fact, honestly I think they should be considered lesser, since they don't even do a shinigami's /job/ properly!"

"..." L did not comment. Instead, he glanced at the realm and its dark greyness. You're.. racist? I didn't expect that from you, but.. a slave is a slave. A puppet is a puppet. All toys have flaws. "Would you like to go somewhere else now? I'm very bored."

"Honestly, they act so high and mighty, like they're better than us! They boss us around and tell us that /we're/ the useless ones, when we do all of the field work! All they do is sit around laughing at tasteless jokes all day, and being general obnoxious snobs. Honestly! Not all of them are bad like that, but the majority of 'em are," Claude began to rant, glaring in the other shinigamis' directions. He /then/ registered that L asked a question. " And- oh wait, you asked something, didn't you? Sorry, uh... yeah. We can go somewhere else."

L pointed towards himself in one quick motion. "I am Japanese shinigami," he pointed out. "I'm just leeching off of the benefits of the European shinigami because I can. If I wanted to I could easily revert back to a full Japanese shinigami. Please limit your racism to your thoughts." He then began to totter off in no particular direction, hands stuffed inside his pockets. "Mixed race with benefits."

"Correction, you are half-Japanese shinigami," Claude snorted. "And at least you don't sit around laughing at fart jokes and toilet humor and scorning the European shinigami all day. You're actually /likeable./ Like I said, there's a few likeable individuals, it's just the majority that treat us European shinigami like trash and act like idiots."

"Oh, I'm hardly likeable," L replied. "You've seen my Record. I'm vile. I'm scum. I'm not likeable by any stretch of the imagination. I live for my job, and that's it."

Claude shrugged at that comment. "Think what you'd like, but you're certainly better than most Japanese shinigami I've met."

And with that, he began to stalk off. "Hey, if you're bored, wanna pull what 'those two' did and prank the demons in Hell? It might be fun."

"Ah, alright." L turned and followed Claude. "I have nothing against demons, though- bear that in mind." This may actually be fun.

"I'm aware," Claude responded with a light sniff. "After all, you hang around with that Sebastian guy. I don't have too many issues with them, either, but it's fun to mess with 'em."

"It must be. I've never tried messing with people... if I like it enough I might start doing it on a regular occurrence."

Claude chuckled at that, and the two soon made their way to the gates of Hell, and Claude quite easily made it past the demon guards.


	6. Down with Kira!

Surprisingly, Hell wasn't at all what it was made out to be. It was more like a very dry desert with a darkened sky then... well, /Hell/. There were no fiery pits of lava and flames, no poor souls being brutally tortured- just a bunch of little communities of demons here and there, /including/ little demon children running around.

"Children," L murmured. "I could prank them horribly."

Claude chuckled at that, watching the little demon communities. "Got any ideas?"

"Something that'll confuse them?"

"Like what?"

"Like... a mariachi band."

Claude stared at L like he was insane. "...A /what/?"

"A mariachi band. You know; one of those stereotypical Mexican bands that have sombreros and trumpets and other instruments?"

"...Yes, I know what those are... but what on /earth/ would we do with a mariachi band?"

"Have them follow the children around and have them narrate the childrens' actions? If that were to happen to me I would be incredibly confused, to say the least."

"...That would probably be hilarious thing to see. Now, here's the hard part: How the hell are we going the get a /mariachi band/... into /Hell/?"

"If I had a yen for every time someone said that..." L murmured. "That is a good question, though. The most logical thing to do would likely be to kill members of a mariachi band and then send them to Hell, regardless of their Cinematic Records."

"That would land us in jail for years," Claude snorted, rolling his eyes. "Not an option."

"I'm a lockmaster," L replied. "You can thank the criminals I've interviewed and investigated. Jail will be no issue."

Claude gave an amused snort at that. "Or, I have a better idea: Let's recruit a few of the other shinigami, bribe them to act like a mariachi band, and watch the hilarity ensue."

"The other shinigami hate you. Let me do the bribery."

"Sounds like a plan," Claude chuckled with a light grin. "I'd suggest recruiting the angry little midget, since he somewhat likes me, but he'd probably beat me up just for asking."

He was joking, of course.

L didn't catch the joke. "Yes, I'd rather not take that risk. I think I may be able to bribe a few living people to kill themselves, and then they'd end up in Hell, to which I would then bribe them into doing the mariachi deed- sounds good to me."

"Well, uh, you do know that when souls die, they don't actually go to a place in Hell in which they can interact with the demon communities, right? They just end up in heavily guarded prisons, being beaten to death every day for all of eternity."

"Ah, well, that makes me feel much better about where Watari ended up," L replied sarcastically. "Maybe we can convince some of the fellow demons to do our bidding instead?"

"Watari didn't end up in Hell," Claude snorted. "He went to Elysium- Heaven. It's actually very, very rare for a human soul to end up in Hell. It's only for the very worst of people. Now, back on topic, the answer to your question is yes, that'd probably be a good idea."

L was a bit surprised at the news. "Uh... may I ask why?"

"...Do you honestly think such a kind man would deserve a place where he's constantly brutally beaten to death and shoved in fire every single day of his life?" Claude snorted, rolling his eyes. "The answer is no. Hell is a very, /very/ horrible place, and thus its prisons are reserved for the very worst of people. People who you'd normally think would go to Hell, usually actually don't- they end up in Purgatory instead, which is a place in-between. It's neither horrible and cruel nor paradise-like."

"Light Yagami," L instantly said. "Predict where he will go." He deserves far worse than anything.

"Can't exactly say for sure, but typically people like him who murder for no reason and commit mass genocide like that tend to end up in Hell. But, Ryuzaki, I can fully assure you, Watari is sitting on a nice, calm beach right now in the Bahamas, drinking champane like a boss."

"...that's really not comforting," L replied, shaking his head quickly to remove the image of an old man at the beach. Watari deserves more respect than what I'm giving him by imagining him in a bathing suit... my god...

"Well, I'm being serious. He's actually very happy where he is," Claude stated in response. "So lighten up."

"As long as he's happy, I suppose...?..."

Claude rolled his eyes at Ryuzaki's response. "Oh, lighten up, will you? Come on, let's go ask those three over there to be our mariachi band."

Claude then gestured to three identical twin demons, with only the fringes of their hair to separate them from eachother.

"You ask," L muttered in response, sitting down in his regular position and chewing on his middle finger. "I have images to remove from my mind."

Claude gave a nod and approached the three. "Hey, you three!" he called out to them, gesturing them over. The Triplets exchanged glances, whispering among themselves for a moment before then approaching Claude, heads cocked to the side.

"Hey, uh... We're trying to prank some of these kids, just for fun," Claude then began to explain. "We're in need of a... /mariachi band/. We need someone to help with that."

The Triplets stared at him for a moment, with deadpan expressions.

"We're looking for a mariachi band to follow the kids around and imitate them," Claude then added, staring back at them. "...Could you help us out, here?"

"..." the Triplets were silent, and soon left. However, they returned soon after, dressed in mariachi outfits.

"Ah, thanks!" Claude chirped, amused. He then turned to L. "Now what, Ryuzaki?"

"Follow those children and narrate their lives!" L ordered the Triplets immediately, pointing towards a group of small demon children who were just out of earshot. "Freak 'em out!"

The Triplets nodded, began playing their instruments, and began following the children around and imitating them, confusing the hell out of the kids. The Triplets were /hilarious/, doing all of this with completely deadpan expressions, yet made hilariously exaggerated actions and movements.

Despite the looks on their faces, they were thoroughly enjoying this...

...Because they were also pranksters.

L watched, obviously still bored. "For some reason, I'm not laughing. Claude-kun, why am I not laughing?"

"Because your sense of humor sucks," Claude teased, glancing over at the other shinigami. He was joking, however; In truth, he wasn't laughing either, only snickering a small bit now and then.

"Yes, I did realize that," L replied. For some reason, he was able to make jokes and sarcastic comments, but never seemed to pick up on them from other people. "Any more ideas?"

Claude snorted at that. "I was teasing, you dolt," he chuckled in response, rolling his eyes.

"Yep, I'm a dolt."

"I hope you realize that was a joke too."

"I did not realize that, no."

"...Wow. You suck at joke detection."

"And yet I am a detective. Ironic."

"Yes. Very."

"Good to know we're on the same terms."

"Yep."

"Please offer more than one word in response when I am speaking with you."

"I don't have anything else to say. I suck at socialization."

"As do I but at least I can form a proper sentence."

"So can I... just sometimes, they're short."

"Short sentences are wastes of breath."

"So are un-necessarily long ones."

"Yes, so let's make an agreement: all sentences shall be medium-sized."

"I suppose that works."

"That was a short sentence. You violated our agreement."

"Alright, let me fix that: I definitely suppose that that amazing agreement is perfect. Better, Professor?"

"Yes, and I'm not a professor. I'm a PI. Difference."

"That, my panda-eyed friend, was the art known as sarcasm."

I don't have panda eyes. I have regular, humanoid eyes."

"You have black bags under your eyes, so it counts."

"But pandas have black circles around their eyes, not under them."

"Quite frankly, I don't care because teasing you is fun."

"Are they really that noticeable? I don't want to attract attention.." L reached up to touch the dark bags under his eyes, frowning and feeling a little self-conscious.

"Yes, actually, they are quite noticeable."

"You violated our agreement again."

"No I did not, that was all one sentence. Have you ever heard of the use of commas?"

"Commas cannot be detected verbally unless you put accurate pronunciation where they are. Savvy?"

"Besides, you have no place to speak. Your sentences have been somewhat short as well, in fact your 'are they noticeable' question was shorter than my response."

"I am a hypocrite. I expect you to be better than me. Once again, you violated our agreement."

"No, I did not, I have been using medium-length sentences. There is such a thing known as compound and complex sentences, you know."

"Yes, I do know. And I do not care." L turned and began to totter away. "You are aggravating me."

"I wouldn't be if you didn't constantly accuse me of violating our 'agreement', but if you wish for me to leave, I'll do so."

"I wish to leave. I do not wish for you to leave. There is a large difference."

"Either way, you wish to separate from me, if I'm understanding correctly, unless you mean to go somewhere else with me alongside you."

"Yes, that would be the case." L began stroking his eyebags, feeling very self-conscious.

"The first option or the second one?"

"The second one."

"Alright then, let's go."

Annd then he set off, back to the shinigami realm.

L followed.

They soon returned to Claude's apartment, only to find none other than Levi snarling and standing nearby.

"Oi, glasses!" the short man then called, stalking over to Claude and staring up at him. "Could I stay at your place? I don't wish to be anywhere near that damned woman I share a home with."

Claude blinked in confusion, staring down at Levi. "Er... what? What happened?"

"Something happened with Shitty-Glasses, which I'd rather not get into."

Claude sent a nervous glance in L's direction.

L did not offer much help in the situation. He merely stood there, staring into Levi and chewing on his pinkie.

After a moment, Claude gave a sigh and turned back to Levi. "Alright, you can stay," he sighed after a moment. "You'll have to sleep on the couch though, if Ryuzaki's staying again, he's got bedroom claims."

"Fine with me, I don't care where I sleep as long as it's away from her," Levi snorted in response, gray eyes flaring.

"Since you have to deal with Pig on a regular basis, you may sleep in the bedroom. I will take up residence elsewhere," L piped in. I'd be unable to stand one minute with her, let alone being her roommate.

"Thanks," Levi muttered in response, glaring down at the ground. He was obviously furious with Hanji, from whatever the hell happened between them. "Fuckin' shitty-glasses..."

Levi then stalked inside the house, slinking off to the guest bedroom, where he continued to mutter angrily about Hanji.

L took up residence in the far corner of the guest room, not allowing his presence to deter Levi from his muttering. If I can listen in and see what happened...

Levi sat on the bed, snarling to himself, glaring intensely down at his lap, muttering curses and insults about Hanji and just some random angry muttering. After a few moments he just rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands with an angry groan, looking and sounding extremely unhappy.

Interesting behavior. DO people do this when they're mad? Or is it just midget-related? Well... they are closer to Hell, so... I would not be surprised...

Levi then stood and began to angrily beat up one of the pillows, still angrily muttering about Hanji as he did so. "Fucking four-eyes... Piece of fucking..."

Yep. Definitely a size-related issue. But what did she do, Mr. Ackerman? Tell me!

Levi finally calmed down after a while, flopping down on the bed and merely lying there, unmoving, looking very unhappy.

"What did she do?" L finally asked.

"We just got into a fight," Levi responded gruffly, sounding miserable. He didn't go any further than that.

"Elaborate."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad."

"Why do you even want to know?"

"Because I strongly dislike her, and wish to know the reason as to why you do, as well."

Levi sighed at that, lightly glancing over at the other man. "...To be honest, I don't really even remember what started it. Just... something happened, and suddenly we were yelling at eachother. It escalated to a fistfight, insulting, and general... 'fight' things. She screamed that she wanted me out of her life, I told her to go fuck herself, we fought more, and finally I just... left."

"She's better than me, so I hate her," L replied, averting the focus of conversation to himself. "She's a useless waste of air."

Levi didn't respond to that, merely curling up on the bed, looking like someone just killed his whole family or something. He definitely wasn't a happy camper.

"Don't do that," L murmured. "Answer me when I'm speaking to you, please."

"What am I even supposed to say?" Levi sighed miserably, pulling one of the pillows over his head.

"You're supposed to offer your own two cents about how you're feeling about your blow-out with Hanji."

"I've been doing that for the past few hours," Levi snorted from under the pillow. "You know how I feel about it."

"I am terrible at picking up on such things. Elaborate your exact feelings for me, please."

"Why? What are you, some sort of fuckin' counselor or some shit?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't need a counselor."

"Seems like you do."

"I hate talking to people unless they're friends of mine.. and even then, I don't like talking about 'feelings' to them."

"Get over it and tell me before I kick you."

"Why should I? It's none of your business."

"It absolutely is my business entirely. I'm curious."

"Tch. Your curiousity is not my problem."

"No. Your problem is that I am about to kick you."

"I don't care, I can fight."

"As can I. Just comply."

Levi sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I give up. I'm not in the mood to argue anymore.." he finally huffed after a moment. "I'm just... Ugh. Hanji and I were so fucking close, she was.. she was my only real friend, really.. But now.."

The short shinigami gave a low noise of unhappiness and clutched the pillow over his head tighter. "Now, she just..."

"She just...?"

"...She hates me."

"Do you hate her back?"

Levi was silent for a moment. "...I don't know."

"Look through your brain archives and find out what you were arguing over."

And then Levi remembered whatever it was and told L, and it got pretty damn vicious, but the original cause wasn't something that could ruin a friendship forever, only the fighting that came afterwards. Herp.

"Go apologize to her and make up with her."

"No."

"If you still like her then it's the best you can do."

Levi huffed and continued to bury his face in his pillow. "...Why do you even care about this, anyway? You hate her, and I'm pretty sure you probably dislike me."

"I hold no opinion of you. Therefore I am entitled to give you advice, as I do with all people I meet."

Levi didn't respond to that, and merely laid there with his face in the pillow.

"Instead of moping about, do something productive your life."

"No. I'm not in the mood."

L turned and left quietly, not wanting to talk to Levi any longer. He searched for Claude, a thought in mind. Claude has access to Cinematic Records. I would like to see Mr. Ackerman's.

Claude was sitting in the living room, doing what he usually did when alone: Reading a book.

"Mr. Claude. Please bring me Mr. Ackerman's Cinematic Record."

Claude looked up from his book, blinking in L's direction. "Er, what? Why?"

"I wish to see it. Please bring it to me, and.. do hurry."

"Uh... Okay?" Claude responded, a bit confused. Nonetheless, he stood, left, and soon returned with the book containing the other shinigami's record. "Here."

He then handed it to L.

The contents of the book were quite disturbing, revealing many dark aspects of Levi's life. As it turned out, he was the son of a shinigami and an angel, and in his earlier years, didn't even live in the Shinigami Realm. No, as a child, for some odd reason, a mistake, really- Levi was sent to Hell's prisons. For 10 years, the young boy suffered horrific, constant abuse from the prisonkeepers, and even his angel father did nothing to even try to rescue him. His shinigami father did attempt, but ended up killed by Cerberus.

Eventually, Levi escaped, living in the wastelands of Hell. Being a shinigami and not a demon, he needed food and sustenance, something Hell didn't exactly have. And so he starved. He had no access to food, water, or anything, causing him to constantly suffer the pain of starvation and thirst.

Eventually, Levi met two young demons who he befriended, called Isabel and Farlan. They spent a good bit of their life together, until Levi turned 16.

His two best friends were killed by Angels.

Distraught, Levi began travelling alone again for over a year, until he finally escaped Hell. He was found by a group of shinigami, who recognized his soul as half-shinigami. He was taken in among them, and was initiated as a Trainee, where he met Hanji. While most disliked him like they did Claude due to his half-blood nature, Hanji didn't discriminate at all. She was friendly right from the start, and the two of them hit it off. They spent their trainee years together, rooming together and always sticking by eachothers' sides. Hanji understood him, supported him, and always stood up for and defended him. She understood how he spoke, being able to translate his rough "Levi-speak" into what he really meant. The record revealed that Levi did in fact like Hanji as more than a simple friend, but never really acknowledged or acted on it.

And then, the most recent record, was the day of their fight, and his conversation with L. Every few minutes that passed, new passages magically appeared on the paper of new life events.

"Incredible," L whispered. "Incredible. Mr. Claude... do you have mine?" If I can compare the two together, then... perhaps I will be able to give Mr. Ackerman a reason to make up with Hanji. This is a fixable problem- I just need to pull in personal experience for the solution.

"Yes, I do," Claude responded, once again leaving and returning, this time with L's.

L watched his Cinematic Record and, for the first time, realized just how big of an *ssh*le he really was.

He was born normally and raised normally, until one brutal winter evening his parents were caught in a massive pileup on a highway. 40 trucks were involved, and there were 35 injured- 5 others died that night, including his parents. He took off running out of fear of being hit by the next car, and ended up alone in a city he did not know very well. Watari found him curled up against a stop sign, and was quick to take in the young boy.

But that didn't end up well.

L hated people. He always had, and it finally showed as he single-handedly beat the crap out of every single boy in the orphanage. The next two months slowly went by- L was a bully, stealing puzzles and games from the other children and playing with them by himself. If he wanted something, he got it. That was the bottom rule. On a cold evening, a group of boys decided they were sick of L's behavior, and they grabbed him, buried him, and left. He dug himself out and spent the next two hours washing his mouth and airway of dirt. The children started avoiding him out of fear, and finally he was gifted with his own room to prevent further abuse. He asked Watari for a computer- new technology at the time- and became a lonely computer hobbit, never leaving his darkened room and never sleeping.

He ended up joining the tennis team out of curiosity, and after only one game he became the champion- nobody could beat his record. He then returned to his computer, not bothering to pick up the racket again.

L solved his first case and immediately became hooked on it. He remained in England and moved to an unknown location to continue working. Every night he would solve a minimum of ten cases, adding on to his record.

The events that occurred during the Kira case were played, including his and Watari's deaths. The record then ended, as his life had, with one last frame playing that L had not seen nor known about- Light mocking L on his grave.

The shinigami clenched his hands together tightly until they turned a white color. "What.. what did he just say? What did he call me?" His voice was dangerous, but his eyes remained passive.

Claude frowned a bit at that. "Yeah... Light's an ass," he snorted, eyes narrowed. "I watched his record, too- he's a damn psychopath."

"Did he just say he won?" L's eyes narrowed, and he began to shake. "Did he just say... he won?"

"He did," Claude responded, eyes narrowed. "But he's wrong, he hasn't won. That Near kid'll get him."

L turned off his negativity before allowing it to turn him into a murderous psychopath. "Okay," he mumbled. "Back to the topic of my timeline... damn."

Claude didn't know how to respond, so he just stood there. Herp.

"Where's Hanj? I- I hate to say it, but I must speak with her."

Claude blinked in surprise. "You want to speak with /Hanji/?" he questioned, head cocked to the side. "I thought you hated her."

"Answer my question: where is she?"

"She's likely at her apartment."

"Location of her apartment?" Are you dense?

And then Claude gave directions to her apartment.

L took off and made it there in less than a few minutes. He knocked on Hanji's door and waited for an answer.

Hanji didn't answer, and was merely curled on her couch, just as much of a sopping mess of misery as Levi was.

L entered without waiting for a response and approached Hanji. "Ms. Zoe?"

Hanji looked up at him, face dull. "What'dya want?" she questioned, voice low and dripping with unhappiness.

"Make up with Levi. That was a stupid argument."

Hanji merely turned away from him, curling up on the couch again. "It's useless," she then murmured quietly. "He wants nothing more to do with me."

"People are cattle," L sighed, taking a seat on the couch next to Hanji and tilting her chin up to look him in the eye. "Just like cows, you never understand what your counterpart is feeling... Mr. Ackerman does not want nothing more to do with you. He feels that YOU want nothing more to do with HIM." He wasn't sure whether or not to stroke her hair; it didn't seem very appropriate, and to be perfectly frank, neither did it seem appropriate to be forcing her to look him in the eye. He was already testing his limits, but was willing to do anything in order to manipulate Hanji into making up with Levi. In truth, I kind of just want my bed back.

"Tch..." Hanji muttered, pulling her face away. "...Why would he want anything to do with me anymore? I pissed him off, he pissed me off, now we're more bitter enemies than William and demons..."

"I see," L muttered, grabbing the Cinematic Record of Levi that he'd stashed in his pocket and giving it to Hanji. "If you are bitter enemies, then why is he doing this?"

Hanji lightly glanced up, taking the cinematic record and staring at it. For a moment, she was just /silent/, not saying a word. Finally, she sighed and handed the book back to L. "...Alright, alright.. I'll go try and talk to him later. Maybe at training tomorrow.."

"No. Now. If I've learned anything in my years of life, it is that you must do things as soon as possible. No procrastinating. GO."

Hanji gave an exasperated sigh and finally stood. "Fine... but only because I know you won't leave me alone until I do," she snorted, stalking towards the door and leaving the apartment.

L waited until she was gone before inwardly smiling. I can wreck everything she owns. She will not be as good as me then!

Hanji continued walking off, heading for Claude's apartment.

Meanwhile, a dog was being alerted to L's presence... a dog that the shinigami had no idea that Hanji even had. A dog trained to protect his master's belongings at all costs.

L began rooting through Hanji's stuff, unaware of the dog.

The dog then suddenly lunged for L out of nowhere, snapping his jaws around the man's arms, violently tugging him away from Hanji's stuff, and ripping through his skin and breaking bone in the process. It then released his arm and dove for his legs, snarling loudly as he brutally tore into it, being the very fierce guard dog that he was.

"Eh." L knew he wouldn't die from the wounds. He carefully grabbed the dog's scruff and, using his still-working leg, kicked the thing and tossed it away before poofing down to the human realm. Tcht... just another way she's better than me. My pride's hurt, though... I'm not returning to Claude or the others for a very long time. Best to check in with Sebastian. He then went to wherever Sebastian was and followed the demon around, changing his tattered clothes into non-tattered clothes. The only signs left of attack were the blood and bite-marks.

The Book of Circus arc was now over, and they were all back at the Phantomhive manor, doing Kuroshitsuji things.

L frowned a bit and grabbed Soma by the arm, dragging him into a back room and touching him with his Death Note.

"Mr. Soma, I need you to do something for me, and I am willing to pay a bribe for you to do it."

Soma yelped as L suddenly appeared in his vision and leaped bacl. "H-Hey! W-Who even are you?" he questioned, staring at L with wide eyes. "And how did you get in here? And why were you invisible a second ago?"

"I need you to do something for me. Consider me... a ghost."

Soma blinked in confusion, staring at the apparation in front of him. "...A-And what is it you want me to do?"

"I need you to pay a visit to Undertaker. Bring Agni and Mey-Rin."

"E-Er... okay..." Soma responded nervously. "May I ask what for...?"

"I need you to pay a visit to Undertaker. Bring Agni and Mey-Rin." This is actually kind of entertaining, pretending to be a restless ghost. Maybe I can get Undertaker in on the joke... now that'd be fun.

"You said that already..."

"I need you to pay a visit to Undertaker!" L exclaimed, waving his arms about. "I cannot tell you the reason, you dolt, because it's against the rules! Just do as I say and we will both live in peace." That's something an apparition would see. I have to make sure Sebastian and Ciel do not see me, though...

"When you leave, do not tell anyone who told you to go, and do not tell them where you are going. Simply ask Mey-Rin and Agni to accompany you to the shops for some curry ingredients. Understood? And, please, put on a convincing performance."

"Uh... Okay..." Soma responded hesitantly. He then nervously left the room, returning with Agni, and the two of them then headed for the Phantomhive manor(Those two were at the Townhouse currently), and soon got Mey-Rin to accompany them. Agni asked questions multiple times, but Soma wouldn't answer, and they then headed for Undertaker's shop, much to Mey-Rin and Agni's confusion.

L followed behind them all, not touching the other two with his Death Note. When they reached Undertaker's shop, he entered first and quickly whipped around to push Soma back. "I'm going to check on something very quickly," he murmured. "One moment."

He then quickly approached Undertaker, shutting the door to the shop and motioning almost undetectably for the back room. Come on. I have to ask you something.

Undertaker blinked in L's direction, lightly cocking his head to the side. He then stood and made his way towards the back room, where L beckoned him to.

L shut the door to the back room and stared at the shinigami. "Prime laughter, you say? What are your thoughts on mind manipulation?"

Undertaker cocked his head to the side. "Mind manipulation?"

"Mind manipulation. Manipulating someone into doing acts of hilarity."

"I think I'd find it quite humorous."

"Then follow along, please. I have convinced Soma somewhat into believing that I am a ghost- please do not acknowledge my presence and only respond to what he says. This will bring a smile to your face."

"Alright then," Undertaker chuckled in response. "This should be amusing..."

He then exited the room, returning to the counter. Herp.

L quickly returned to Soma and spoke quickly. "I checked through his records and I am correct- the death toll from the accident I caused is inside. It has all of the names of the people who died because of me- I need you to ask Undertaker for those records."

Soma blinked in confusion, squinting. "...What are you even talking about?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side. "Whose records...? What accident? I'm confused..."

"Master Soma, may I ask... who are you speaking to?" Agni then questioned, also looking confused.

"...Er, no one?"

"...Are you sure..?"

"...Yes."

L hid his amusement well. "You will see. Ask Undertaker for the records on Beyond Birthday.."

Soma was extremely confused and kind of creeped out, but nonetheless walked up to Undertaker.

"Er, hello, Mister Undertaker- Could I, eh, by any chance get the records for some guy called 'Beyond Birthday'?" he questioned, eyes nervously glancing around. Agni and Mey-Rin were just extremely confused.

Annnnnd Undertaker responded in his typical Undertaker fashion.

"Hmm... Prime laughter? You have two people here with you, Mr. Soma. He is outnumbered. Insist upon the records, or I shall not be very happy."

"I'm not going to /threaten/ the old man, what are you, mad?!" Soma then exclaimed, staring at L.

Agni and Mey-Rin exchanged very confused glances, but decided not to say anything.

"Yes, I am very mad," L replied, his expression deadpan. "And I killed twenty seven people. Do not assume I will not do the same to you, Mr. Soma. Insist upon retrieving the records."

Soma squeaked in fear at that. "Errr... M-Mister Undertaker, please just show me the records! I, uh... I have two people with me, you're outnumbered!"

Undertaker didn't look fazed in the least. "Give me payment, or get out.~"

"Tell Mey-Rin to search the files."

"Er... Mey-Rin, search the files."

"...What files?" Mey-Rin questioned, still very confused.

"Explain to her that she needs to look for records on someone known as Beyond BIrthday." She won't find them; they're in Wammy's House, not Undertaker's small-scale shop. This is going to be funny.

"...Er, look for the records on someone called Beyond Borthday."

Undertaker didn't even make a move to stop her, merely watching in amusement as she searched the shop.

L sent an amused look in Undertaker's direction, but masked it so that it would go undetected by Soma. Soon, however, he gave his next order: "Have Agni search with her. I need those records or I will not be pleased."

"Agni, search with her," Soma then commanded. Agni followed his orders, beginning to search with Mey-Rin despite his confusion.

When they did not find the records, L darkened his expression. "Nobody can know that I killed those people," he growled. "I'm taking the chance with you because I can easily dispose of you. However, I cannot touch paper. It is the one thing I am unable to hold. It burns my skin when I try. That is why I have chosen you, Soma; you are a cheerful person, perhaps too cheerful. It would not be unlikely for you to die from suicide... search with them and find those records."

Soma squeaked in fear at that. "So basically, either way, you're going to kill me?" he questioned, voice high-pitched and fearful.

"...no. I said you were easily disposable; I never said I would follow through on that. Do not worry about it; simply help me find those records and you will be unharmed." Undertaker thinks mind manipulation is funny. How do I turn this into something funnier? It needs... spice. Confuse, not abuse; I'm on the border of abuse. I need to be more confusing. "Mey-Rin and Agni seem to be confused. Am I correct?"

"Er.. yes.."

"Dance."

".../What?/"

"Dance. Go on, confuse them further. Confusion makes them more.. predictable in behavior. They lose their masks in trying to understand what's going on. So, go on. Dance."

"Uh... Okay..." Annnd then Soma began to dance, confusing Mey-Rin and Agni even more, and they were seriously beginning to wonder if Soma was completely sane...

"Yodel."

"..." And then Soma began yodeling. And Agni and Mey-Rin facepalmed and began to discuss checking him into a mental institution.

L decided it was over. "Alright, Undertaker; what do you think?" He turned his head to look at the shinigami. "Amusing or no?"

Undertaker was snickering in amusement at the performance, and gave a nod at the other shinigami's question. "Very amusing..."

"Wonderful," L replied, turning to look at Soma. "The records, the killing... all of that is untrue. I am just a troublesome shinigami with a boredom problem."

Soma stopped and stared at L in confusion. ".../Shinigami/?"

"Shinigami," L replied. "I'm sorry to break the news to you, but... we exist."

"...Woowwww."

"And you just amused both I and Undertaker. Did you really think that a ghost would come to you looking for closure?" L frowned a bit. "Why you? You're not special; you're simply a friend of Mr. Phantomhive's. Nothing to it."

"...You're not very nice, are you?"

"Nice?" L was a bit confused at the word. There are many definitions for that... elaborate.

"As in, you're a jerk."

"And why would you think that, Mr. Soma?"

"You used me and made me look like a total idiot just for your own amusement, and now Agni and Mey-Rin think I'm insane."

"Ah, yes, mind manipulation," L replied. "I'm very good at it, you know. I find it amusing."

"It's cruel."

"...cruel?"

"Yes. I could have ended up in a mental institution."

"No, I'd have stepped in if they actually made their move. I would not allow you to end up in such a place, despite my manipulative words."

Soma rolled his eyes at that. "You know, you should get a better hobby."

"I had one, but I lost it when I died. I have absolutely nothing to do in my spare time now... except for pranking mortals."

"...Well, that's interesting," Soma snorted in response. "You are a very strange invisible man..."

"Shinigami," L corrected. "God of death. Not invisible man." He paused. "You may have just proven to your colleagues that you are mad."

"I called you that because no one else can see you, thus to them, you are invisible."

"You're boring," L replied, turning to take Undertaker's hand. "Thank you for your time; I would like you to find the records for Beyond Birthday when you can. I did just bless you with prime laughter, after all." He then turned and walked away, his wounds having healed and there being no sign of the dog's attack. He poofed up to Claude's house and made himself at home on the couch.

William had by then returned home and was obviously confused as L poofed right next to him on the couch.

"...L Lawliet, may I ask what you are doing in my house?" he questioned, eyebrow quirked.

"Relaxing," L replied simply, not bothering to explain his presence. Claude will do that for me.

"...Do you have a /reason/ for being at my house, and to randomly appear in here without so much as /knocking/?"

And, as if on cue, just at that moment, Claude entered the room, looking very stressed.

"I can't calm him," the shinigami sighed in frustration. "He's too out of it, won't listen to a word I say. Neither will /she/, either."

"Oh, joy," William snorted, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, those two... By the way, do you have any explanation for /his/ presence?"

As he said that, he gestured towards L. Claude gave a tiny grin. "Ah, yeah, that's a friend of mine. I invited him over after he had a... /disagreement/ with Grell."

"Ah... Alright then."

"Disagreement? Interesting word choice. Mr. Sutcliff lied to me, and I dislike being lied to. Now." L stood and approached Claude quickly, getting into his personal space and staring at him with wide eyes. "Have Ms. Zoe and Mr. Ackerman come to a compromise?" I doubt it, based upon what you told your father, but... it never hurts to ask questions!

"No, unfortunately," Claude sighed, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "They started out sort-of okay... Hanji came and tried to apologize, and Levi did the same, then Levi said something Hanji found offensive, and she snapped back, and he snapped back, and then they started yelling, then they fought, and, well... let's just say they're not likely to be speaking with eachother any time soon."

[ 49 PM | 58 PM] "Emotions," L grumbled, turning his back on Claude and facing William. He pointed to Claude and addressed William directly. "Do not allow your son to express emotions! It only makes the world more difficult." Once again, he was being hypocritical.

William merely snorted at that, rolling his eyes. "While it is a shinigami's job to perform their duty without bias or emotion, off-duty emotions are another matter entirely," he stated plainly, adjusting his glasses again.

"Ms. Zoe and Mr. Ackerman will quite obviously be unable to work with one another while on duty due to their argument. It directly affects their work, which... is not unlikely in other shinigami, as well. Please, take my advice in this situation- I have the experience to speak for myself and others." I also desire a butler, and Claude is the perfect candidate... he just needs to not be emotional.

"I can't exactly control my son's emotions, nor am I going to allow you to command me to," William drawled, looking obviously bored with the conversation. "Besides, he doesn't show much emotion anyway."

"Ah, that's the news I was looking for," L murmured, turning back around at Claude. He looked the shinigami up and down, taking in the details. Hmm... not very physical fit, but a solid mind, and long legs... he'd be fine if placed into a life or death situation. He's also a liar. He'd be perfect.

"Mr. Claude, we need to go see Sebastian. Please, come with me." Where should I take you? How about Hell? No... someplace secluded, most certainly... aha, I know! Mount Fuji!

"...What for?" Claude questioned, blinking in confusion.

"Nevermind," L replied. "Change of plan- we're going to Japan!" He grabbed Claude and whisked him down to the Asian island, where he took the shinigami to perhaps the most secluded place in the world.

Fukushima Daiichi.

Claude was just confused. "Um... What?"

"Are you feeling adventurous?" L asked, stopping right outside the main doors to the building. "Or are you... chicken?"

It was well-known among shinigami that Japan was horrifyingly haunted, but that had NOTHING in terms of creepiness on Fukushima Daiichi. -Switching to first person momentarily-

Fukushima Daiichi is a nuclear power plant that had been running for roughly 40 years. On March 11, 2011 an earthquake categorized as 9.0 MW on the moment magnitude scale occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time (JST) off the northeast coast of Japan, one of the most powerful earthquakes in history. Radiation units 4, 5 and 6 had been shut down prior to the earthquake for planned maintenance. The remaining nuclear reactors were shut down automatically after the earthquake, and the remaining decay heat of the fuel was being cooled with power from emergency generators. The subsequent destructive tsunami with waves of up to 14 meters (the reactors were designed to handle up to 5.7 meters) disabled emergency generators required to cool the reactors. Over the following three weeks there was evidence of partial nuclear meltdowns in units 1, 2 and 3: visible explosions, suspected to be caused by hydrogen gas, in units 1 and 3; a suspected explosion in unit 2, that may have damaged the primary containment vessel; and a possible uncovering of the units 1, 3 and 4 spent fuel pools. Radiation releases caused large evacuations, concern about food and water supplies, and treatment of nuclear workers. Radiation releases contaminated the 2011 harvest.

The events at units 1, 2 and 3 have been rated at Level 5 each on the International Nuclear Event Scale, and those at unit 4 as Level 3 (Serious Incident) events, with the overall plant rating at Level 7 (major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects requiring implementation of planned and extended countermeasures).

So, in basic terms, the nuclear power plant melted.

-Switching back to third person for the description-

The buildings were twisted, and charred. There was noticeable thickness in the air from the radiation, and there was steam and smoke rising from the buildings. Wailing sounds came from around the two shinigami as the ghosts of the workers who died in the disaster crawled about. They were charred, but mostly human-like; the only difference being they had no eyeballs.

L waited for a response to his question.

Claude merely stared around at the disaster, completely unimpressed. However, he noticed something a bit... /un-nerving/. He was somehow drawn to these wandering ghosts in an odd way, as if something was luring him in. He ignored those urges however, and merely shrugged at L's question. "Could you explain what we're even here for? I'm confused."

"After you," L repeated, forcing open the main doors. A loud creaking sounded throughout the vicinity as he did so, and he ushered the shinigami inside. The most secluded place on the planet. Perfect.

Claude entered with a deadpan expression, and when they were inside, he once again turned to L. "Ryuzaki, why are we here? Please explain, you're confusing me."

The interior was rotten and melting, and substances dripped from the roof and panels and walls. L closed the creaky doors behind them, leaving the two in complete darkness. It was an unnatural darkness- a darkness so thick that not even flashlights could permeate its loatheful presence. He won't be able to see my embarrassment.

"You saw my Cinematic Record," he muttered flatly. "I haven't gone more than a year in my life without someone there with me, waiting on me and being of general assistance."

"...And what do you mean by that?"

"I need assistance, or I'll end up doing everything myself, which I don't want to do."

"...Assistance with what, exactly?"

"Everything."

"...So are you basically asking me to follow you around like a puppy all the time?"

"No. I'm asking you to follow me around like Watari all the time."

"...Are you indirectly asking me to be your /butler/?"

"Indirectly, yes."

Claude stared at L for a few minutes, expression deadpan. "...What."

L didn't see Claude's expression; again, it was far too dark for him to see anything. "I cannot function without a butler, Mr. Faustus." He used his friend's last name for perhaps the first time, and it would take getting used to. I will do anything I can to replace Watari, though.

Claude sighed after a moment, running his hands through his hair. "Er... Alright, fine... But I also have to do my duties as a shinigami, and that'll take time away from being by your side all the time, so be prepared to be on your own sometimes. And another thing... I will most certainly not being calling you 'master', 'lord', or any variation of that, it's wierd."

This went well. "I think that sort of thing is unnecessary," he commented, referring to the titles that Claude refused to call him. "Makes me sound superior. I'm not. Trust me. Now, on to other things..." He began to walk away, his feet tapping against the metal floor. "We have souls to collect. I have my notebook with me; let's turn this into a productive trip, yes?"

Claude gave a nod at that. "Yeah, sure," he answered in response. Herp.

Timeskip to the ceremony. L stood at the very back, preferring not to interact with anybody. Ugh. These people... they're complete snobs. I cannot stand people like that. They flaunt their money and power about without any regard for their peers' thoughts. Hurry, Mr. Faustus; this is not something I wish to be a part of. Granted, I'm only here to watch you graduate... how boring.

The next day soon came: The day of Claude's final exam. It mostly went well, however when the moment came to collect the dying man who he had been sent after's soul, something went wrong. As Claude stabbed the man with the scythe to play the record and draw out the soul, an overwhelming urge consumed him, and he felt himself strongly drawn towards the soul, in a manner that almost scared him.

...And he devoured it. Instead of collecting the soul like he was supposed to, he ended up /consuming/ it.

After that, he suddenly /panicked./ His partner flipped out and quickly alerted the authorities, and things were certainly not going well for Claude now. He fled the scene, terror, anger, and bitter resentment flowing through him. He fled to his house, where he quickly ran in and locked the door, much to the surprise of his father.

William did not get the reaction he expected from his son, and was instead met with blind rage and fury as the half-demon slammed him against the wall.

"/Why didn't you tell me?!/" he snarled angrily, glaring intensely at his father. "/WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME MY FATHER WAS A DEMON?!/"

William stared at his son, shocked, eyes wide. "...How did you..?"

"I /ATE/ A SOUL, DAD! I FUCKING ATE IT! I DIDN'T COLLECT IT, I ATE IT!" Claude yelled, hot tears beginning to pool from the corners of his eyes. "YOU IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T YOU... /Why/ didn't you tell me?! WHY?! My life is going to be fucking ruined because of this! I can't work as a shinigami, I'll be even MORE despised by my entire race! I'll be EXECUTED, dad! EXECUTED! I'll be /KILLED/! All because you had to FUCK A GOD DAMNED DEMON AND BRING A FUCKING BASTARD HALFBLOOD INTO THIS GOD-FORSAKEN WORLD!"

William was completely, utterly speechless, staring at Claude with wide eyes, unable to say a word in response.

L watched with narrowed eyes. You put the pieces together about being Sebastian's son, I see.

"For the record, I did tell you that you were related to Sebastian," L murmured. I knew it from the start. You look like a direct mixture between William and him.

"But I had no fucking idea he could possibly be my /FATHER/!" Claude snapped, directing his glare at L. "What the hell am I going to do now?!"

"Live with it," L replied.

"Oh, yeah, because that's /possible/ when I have a bunch of angry shinigami on my ass!" Claude snapped angrily. "They'll /kill/ me!"

"Live with it," L repeated. "I've dealt with enough convicts to know that it's possible."

Claude merely let out a long, miserable groan, sinking to his knees and burying his face in his hands.

"I'll have to run away..." he murmured, shaking. "I'll have to live like a demon... In Hell..."

"No," L replied sharply. "You will live like a demon, as my butler, and nobody will be able to tell that you are who you are. I already have an alias in mind; you will not be caught. Not while I am in possession of a Death Note." I would go to this extreme for Watari, so I will try it out with you.

Claude's only response to that was a soft whimpering noise, and for a moment he made no further response. Finally though, after a while he stood up, stalking over to sit on the couch beside L, staring down at his lap. "...I can't believe my father is a demon.."

"I can't believe William chose Sebastian. I mean, of all the demons in the world.."

"I never confirmed that his father was Michaelis," William then stated quietly. Claude merely sent him a glare, eyes flaring /red./ William shut up.

"You do not need to confirm," L replied. "The evidence is in Mr. Claude's appearance."

William didn't respond, and Claude also remained silent, once again burying his face in his hands.

L looked at Claude. "Oliver Faustus," he said. "Oliver Faustus, demon butler to Elliott Black. Yes?"

"...Claude Faustus. I'd like to at least keep my first name."

"Ah, okay. But, we will need to do something with your hair... otherwise you will be recognized immediately. We'll also need to obtain contact lenses."

"...I like my hair though."

"I like mine, too, but I'll be changing it, as well."

Then was when William decided to add his input. "...If you were to leave, the Dispatch would have no need nor desire to pursue you. You'd be free to live out your demonic life as you wished as long as it didn't interfere with the Dispatch. The most they are going to do is exile you, they would not /kill/ you unless you attacked."

Claude remained silent at that.

"That information is useful. However, I believe taking on an alias will be necessary. Mr. Faustus, come; we must seek headquarters elsewhere."

"...Alright," Claude sighed, standing and following L wherever he went. Herp.

And so they retreated to Russia. Of course they did; that was the country where people retreated when being chased, as evidenced by Edward Snowden.

A week soon passed, and during that course of time, well...

For the most part, Claude was alright as a butler, and a general friend to L. He was the same as usual, although a bit more reserved at times and would have bouts of being upset over things regarding being a half-blood; but all-in-all things were mostly okay.

That is, until Claude began to fail horribly at demonhood.

As the week progressed, the demon had several 'accidents' brought on by his newly awakened demonic ability that he had no idea how to control.

He accidentally set their house on /fire/ with a /candle/ with a demon's fire manipulation ability. He accidentally filled the entire house with dark, shadowy mist. He accidentally /transformed into a woman/ once, and spent /5 hours/ trying to figure out how to turn back. He /almost tried to eat L's soul/ at least /once/, but was able to stop himself, and he wouldn't have been able to anyway due to L being a shinigami. Needless to say, it was a very hectic week, and finally, Claude decided to barge into whatever room L was in with an annoyed, yet deadpan expression.

"Ryuzaki, I think we need to go see my dad."

"Thank GOD!" L exclaimed, leaping to his feet and gathering his things. "I thought you'd never ask! You're off your rocker, Claude!" He didn't often speak like this, but... it had been a hectic week, as mentioned earlier, and he had let his guard down long ago.

Claude looked away slightly in embarrassment. "Hey, it's not my fault," he muttered, rolling his golden eyes. "I'm a new demon, what do you expect?"

"Uh, I dunno. Self control, perhaps?!"

"I can't control it!" Claude exclaimed in response. "I've /tried/! That's why I'm asking to see dad, maybe he'll be able to help me... even if I don't really /want/ to see him."

"Which dad?"

"/Sebastian./"

L immediately stepped back. "...ah, okay, uh... bit of a bad idea there, why not a different demon instead?"

"I'm not going to some random demon. Honestly, I don't want to either but my own /father/ would be my best bet. From what I've seen of him, he's not some ruthless ass, so he might be willing to help. It's worth a shot."

"...I owe your father something still," L replied quietly. He paused. "I also want to watch Near defeat Kira. I can sense it... it's coming soon."

"Well if you owe him something, then you can do it while we're there," Claude snorted in response. "Look, do you want me to keep making things explode and catch on fire, and try to eat souls, or do you want me to have control of my demonity? I think the choice is very clear."

"I hate sarcasm," L muttered, although neither of them was being sarcastic. He then turned and poofed off to wherever Sebastian was, prepared to face Ciel for what he'd done to Soma earlier.

The two of them poofed right outside the doors of the Phantomhive manor, and Claude made his way up to the door, knocking on it. After a moment, the door was answered by the familiar demon butler, who greeted the both of them with his signature "demon smile".

"Ah, hello, Ryuzaki and..." he greeted, though he trailed off as he tried to remember Claude's name.

"Claude," Claude then stated monotonously, staring up at L with a deadpan expression, and what almost seemed like a... glare?

"Ah, yes, Claude," Sebastian chuckled in response. "What brings you two here?"

"I'm here to see my /father/," Claude responded, his glare hardening a small bit. Sebastian's brow furrowed at that, and he looked confused.

"Father? Apologies, but I think you have the wrong place. No one in this household besides myself is even old enough to have had a child..."

"No, I know this is the right place."

The two stared eachother down for a moment, until Sebastian's confusion suddenly melted into wide-eyed shock. His eyes widened at the implications that this man spoke, and the longer he looked at the other demon, the more he saw /himself./

The two kept their gazes fixed intently on eachother, with Sebastian wide-eyed and somewhat /shocked/, and Claude glaring, eyes narrowed.

"..." L quietly slipped past them both and made his way into the manor, searching for Ciel and listening to Claude and Sebastian in the process. He was missing facial expressions, but not dialogue; he could hear what the others were saying perfectly.

Finally, he found the young master, and approached with his signature creepy glare/grin.

"Haha, I, uh, apologize, for the troubles I caused Soma..."

Ciel looked up from his spot on a couch, quirking a brow. "Eh?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side. "What happened with Soma?"

L got onto his knees and legitimately bowed. He was being sarcastic, of course; he had no real respect for Ciel, instead considering him a friend. "I almost had him checked into a mental institution by pretending to be a ghost and forcing him to dance and yodel in front of Mey-Rin, Agni, and Undertaker."

"...So /that's/ why he took Mey-Rin with him that one day?" Ciel scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Why does that actually /not/ surprise me..."

"Thought I'd apologize in case, you know... Agni and Mey-Rin were discussing sending him to a mental institution, you know." L stood and held up a hand. "In my defense, I was bored."

"To be quite frank, I don't really care. I'm not that /buffoon's/ keeper. If he ends up in a mental institution, that's his problem."

"He loves you, though. I'm not sure I understand."

"No, he's simply a crazed fanboy or something," Ciel snorted in amusement. "He 'admires' me, I suppose. I don't know why, really- He just labelled me as a friend soon after we met."

L was still grinning. "Ah, gotcha. Now, another thing- where is the shinigami?" He temporarily forgot he was one, as well as Claude; he was referring to Grell.

Ciel snorted at that. "Grell? He's actually in the kitchen at the moment... he's been coming over a lot lately. Apparently he's in a relationship with Sebastian... one that Sebastian refuses to /explain./"

"...oh no." L groaned and slumped a bit more than usual, turning and walking towards the kitchen. "Yet another thing I've done- I bribed Sebastian into kissing Grell so that Grell would work under the Kira case with me. Grell does not know it was a bribe..."

Ciel stared at L for a long while. "...Are you sure it was just a bribe?"

L turned his head to stare at Ciel. He cracked a grin, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Mr. Phantomhive, I do not ship a demon with a shinigami. So sorry if you did." And with that, he raced off to the kitchen.

Grell was currently in the kitchen, nomming in food. When L entered, he turned to gaze at him with a light wave. "Ah, hello, Ryuzaki~!" he greeted with a grin. "Haven't seen you in a long while."

"I'm not happy with you. Please explain to me why you lied to me about working on the Kira case."

Grell only cracked a small grin at that question. It was funny to him, just how much L /didn't know./

"Ahaha... that's classified. You'll find out soon enough," Grell then responded with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Claude and Sebastian were still having a staredown, neither one of them speaking.

"Soon enough? I dislike that... wait. What? What is the significance of lying to me? What do you get out of it?"

"Well, I got a hot demon as a boyfriend and I don't have to work on a case being bossed around by you as your little 'chess piece'."

In that moment, L became angry. Very angry. "It was a set up, you idiot," he grunted. "A bribe. Did you really think that Sebastian Michealis would like you in that way?"

"I don't believe you," Grell responded simply, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "I seriously doubt that Sebastian is faking it. Otherwise he would have left me already- he /knows/ I lied, I bring it up at times."

It was L's turn to smirk at how much Grell didn't know. "Okay then," he replied. "Keep believing that. I'm sure it will get you somewhere when he breaks your heart."

"Think about it, Ryuzaki," Grell stated plainly. "What could you have /possibly/ bribed him with? There's nothing you could get him that he couldn't get himself. So the only logical answer is that he did it to be kind or help you out, if it was a 'bribe' of any sorts, as in you begging him to. However, if that was the case, he would have left me already- because as I said, he /knows/ I'm not actually working for you."

L shook his head. "I am too tired for this drama," he muttered. "It's... insane... ugh. I'm not acting or feeling myself. I'm going to go watch Claude and Sebastian." With that, he turned and went to watch the interaction.

Claude and Sebastian were still in the middle of their staring contest, until /finally/ after a long while of silence, Sebastian spoke.

"...Who is the other father?" He already knew the answer.

"William T. Spears."

"...He had never informed me that I had a son."

"Is that so?" Claude's glare did not waver, though one eyebrow quirked in question.

"Yes. William and I split up before you even came into existance," Sebastian responded. "He had never said a /word/ to me about bearing my child. Ever."

Claude was a bit surprised at this news. "So, you mean to tell me... you didn't just ditch me and my dad and leave him to raise me on his own, knowing about me?"

"No!" Sebastian huffed in response. "I would /never/! I may be a /demon/, and we may have a reputation for being deceitful, cruel creatures, I would never abandon my own child. I may not have been mated with William any longer, but I would have at least been there to raise you."

L watched with a bored expression. He was mildly uninterested, but had nothing else to do. Therefore, he watched the events that unfolded without much commentary.

Claude gave a light sigh at that, finally easing his glare. "...Well if that's the case, I guess I have no reason to be pissed at you then," he muttered quietly, looking away.

"No, I suppose you don't," Sebastian responded, lightly cocking his head to the side. "Now- What did you come here for, exactly?"

"I need help. I no longer live a shinigami's life- I screwed up during my final exam and ended up led by demon instincts... I ate the soul, and was exiled. So... now I live like a demon. Problem is, I have no idea how to control my demon abilities. I think I've driven L to his wit's end with how many times I screwed up."

"...I'd be glad to help. After all, if you're my son, I'm quite obligated."

"...Thanks."

"FINALLY YOU ADMIT IT!" L exclaimed, snapping his finger into a point at Claude. (You know; the snappy thing that people do when they're being clever and they like snap their fingers and point at the same time) He began stepping about, giggling hysterically. "You get it! You understand! You understand I've gone mad with your hectic antics!"

"Yes... I've been quite aware," Claude snorted in response, going red with embarrassment. "And I've apologized 100 times. Like I said, it's not exactly my fault."

"Not 100," L replied. "Twice now. If you want to claim to apologize 100 times then please follow through."

"It's a metaphor," Claude snorted, facepalming. "Honestly... I /know/, I suck at being a demon butler. I /know/. That's why I'm coming to Sebastian for help."

"You're an impeccable butler. It's the demon part that you need help with."

"Still."

"Sebastian is good at both. I approve your decision."

"Good then."

Sebastian watched the exchange with a bit of amusement. "Alright, hold on a moment while I go explain this... /situation/ to my master."

Sebastian then went back inside and made his way over to Ciel, and began to explain what was going on.

Needless to say, Ciel was extremely shocked and surprised, making comments like, "YOU WERE MARRIED TO A SHINIGAMI?! AND YOU HAVE A /KID/?!" and other things.

Eventually, however, Ciel gave in and gave Sebastian the okay for Claude and L to stay.

The demon made his way back to the two. "While Claude is under my training, you two are both free to stay here," he announced.

"Ah," L commented, his mouth turning up into an evil grin. "I have a few more tricks up my sleeve, in that case." And the rule about the Death Note is good, too.

Sebastian gave L a small glare. "You will /behave yourself/, L."

"That's. Not. Fun," L replied. "Stop being dense, brother!~"

His sleep deprivation was much worse than it had been before, and he spoke like a child, or young teen, at best.

"Behavin' myself is boring. Having fun is not boring. Just fun. Goold, old-fashioned, harmless... fun."

"I am not your brother," Sebastian snorted in response. "And you will behave. Or at the very /least/, make sure that your /fun/ is not /harmful/ to anyone in this household, or our equipment or furniture."

"That takes the fun away from it. Here, how's this: I take Soma to Fukushima and bring him back before he soaks up too much radiation."

"/No./"

"Why nooooooooooooooooooooot?"

"/Because./"

And then he knocked L out, because damn, he needed /sleep./

L hit the ground with a thud, his eyes wide open and staring blankly at the wall in a very creepy way. He was completely unconscious, but... he didn't look it.

Sebastian stared down at him, and then up at Claude. When Claude did nothing but stare and blink, Sebastian gave a light chuckle and slapped the other man on the back. "Tsk. You're his butler, aren't you?"

"R-Right!" Claude responded, instantly moving to lift L up. He then carried the unconscious shinigami towards one of the guest rooms, setting him down on the bed and pulling the covers over him.

He then went back with Sebastian and Ciel, and they were soon joined by Grell, who cuddled with Sebastian.

L remained unconscious for longer than normal, seeing as how he hadn't had a decent amount of sleep for years.

And somewhere in Japan, Near was preparing for his meeting with Kira. He was currently painting the L mask to look like L, except... he was doing something different. He was making it look unflattering, and even somewhat ugly.

Sebastian, Claude, Ciel, and Grell continued to hang together in the living room, with Sebastian and Claude hitting it off quite quickly, and Grell just being a snuggly little shit.

Quite a few hours later, L awoke, completely rested up. For the first time in perhaps his entire life, the dark circles under his eyes were gone.

"...what.." He had never quite felt so clear-brained, and he walked out to the living room, holding his head.

"Excuse me, but where am I...?" I cannot remember for the life of me. I recall having something important to attend...

Claude and Sebastian turned around to face him.

"You're at the Phantomhive manor," they both announced in unison. The way they spoke at the same time, and just how /similar/ they looked when side-by-side made it clear that they were obviously father and son.

L cringed at that. "May I ask why? And, Phantomhive? I've never heard of it..." He was suffering from severe temporary memory loss- he just needed a quick refresher, was all.

It was now Ciel's turn to show his face, staring at L with a deadpan expression. "It's my manor. I'm Ciel. Ciel Phantomhive. Does that ring a bell to you?"

"..not necessarily?... Let me guess: somebody spliced my food with alcohol again." He paused, looking around a bit. "Where is my butler?"

Claude raised his hand at that. "Right here."

L's eyes widened as he stared at Claude in a mixture of horror and confusion. "...I'm not judging," he began, "but... why did you get plastic surgery? You were perfect the way you were before."

"...I never got plastic surgery, L," Claude responded, looking confused. "I'm the same as I've always been."

"...I must not be the only one who is confused," L murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Watari, you really do need to consider memory medication.. I have connections, I can set you up with some, if you like."

Claude paled at that. "/Watari?/" he repeated, eyes wide. "Er, L... Watari is /dead/... and you're a shinigami... and I'm /Claude Faustus/, a friend of yours who you asked to be your new butler. I'm /not/ Watari.."

"Dead?! Since when!? Who are you, then? And why do you know who I am!?"

Claude just stared blankly at him, and Grell burst out laughing.

"AHAHAHAH! Looks like little detective boy's lost his memory! Well, isn't THIS amusing?" he cackled, highly amused. "Listen, kid- You and your butler were killed by that Kira guy. You, however, were resurrected as a shinigami, and were enrolled in shinigami training. You made friends with Claude, here, and now you are where you are now."

"Excuse me, 'little detective boy'?" L frowned a bit at that. "Mr. Sutcliff, I expected more from you... Mr. Faustus, I have business to attend to. Come with me if you want to witness it, but make sure you are hidden, and do not interfere. At all."

"Ah, so you've finally gotten your mind back, huh?" Claude chuckled, standing and stalking over to stand beside L. "That's a good thing. It'd suck living with an amnesiac for who knows how long."

"Trust me, I've dealt with them before. It is most unpleasant," L replied. "Come along, Mr. Faustus; let's go watch the events unfold, shall we?" And with that, he poofed off to the warehouse to watch.

Claude poofed with him, appearing right by his side. To likely both of their surprise, Grell also poofed there, though hidden. He would be entering with Near and the others when they arrived.

Assuming they got to the warehouse early.

Near and the others arrived, and then Kira and his supporters. L smiled visibly as he noticed that Matsuda and most of the original workers were still alive. Knowing he was unable to be seen, he walked into the middle of the warehouse and sat down between the two groups, watching them both from a unique point of view. He waited for confirmation that Claude and Grell were situated in their hiding spots.

Claude was hiding among the shadows, manipulating his own demonic black mist to hide himself further, and make him nearly invisible in the shadowy place he hid in. Grell was also hiding as well.

Light glared at Near. L frowned a bit and stood, approaching the young man and staring him in the eye. What are you thinking?

Aizawa nodded towards the group on the floor. "It's them.

Those four are the SPK, and the one wearing the mask is Near."

Matsuda's eyes narrowed. "Huh, hang on, am I the only one who sees something wrong?!

He can go around accusing people of being Kira.

But the fact he's wearing a mask says he's only trying to protect himself, not anyone else!"

"It's just a precaution.

There's a good possibility that Kira has already seen the faces of everyone in this warehouse except for mine.

In fact, he may be writing down your names as we speak.

So, I'd like to wait for one hour, no, make it 30 minutes.

That should give us more than enough time to see if anyone is being controlled before they die."

Matsuda was freaking out. "Huh, what?!

You're gonna wait and see if we die?!"

Silence filled the room, and Aizawa's eyes darkened as he looked at Light. L frowned a bit. He knows.

Matsuda spoke up. "Near!

It's already been over 30 minutes!

Nothing's happened yet!"

Light shook his head. "Of course, not.

That's because Kira is not here with us."

"Very well.

Everyone seems to be safe.

I'll remove my mask now."

Near took off the poorly-made L mask and laid it on the ground. He glanced up at Light... and smirked knowingly. L knew why, too; he can see Ryuk.

Light grinned. "You're quiet, Near.

What's wrong?

Are you still waiting for something?"

""Waiting?"

That's an excellent choice of words.

Yes, I am waiting for the arrival of the one who will solve everything once and for all."

"Someone else is supposed to clear this up?"

"He'll be here soon.

It's only a matter of time.

There is only one entrance to this building and the only way to look inside is by opening that door.

That means he'll either walk through that door, or, at the very least, open it and peep through."

"And just who is this person, anyway?!"

"X-Kira; the one who's currently using the notebook and killing people on Kira's behalf.

He's bound to come here and bring the notebook with him.

And then, he'll see me, and write down my real name.

Or rather, he'll write down the names of everyone here who knows about the notebook, and kill them."

"Huh?!"

Matsuda stared. "What, what are you saying?!

This isn't making any sense!

What are you trying to tell us, Near?!

That some other guy is gonna drop by with the notebook, poke his head and kill us all?!"

"And you want us to sit back and let it happen?!"

"Yes, that's correct.

Now, listen carefully.

If someone comes into the warehouse through that door, just let him in without resisting.

If the door opens slightly, simply act as if you don't notice anyone there."

"But, but that's just crazy!" Matsuda was surprised.

Near's voice was quick. "He's already here!"

"Delete! Delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete …!"

Rester spoke. "Hold it! Don't do anything!"

Near frowned a bit. "Everything is fine! You won't die!"

Ide frowned. "How can you be so sure, Near?"

"Because I modified the notebook."

Everyone stared at him. "Huh?!"

Near smirked. "We took repossession of the notebook and replaced the pages. The person behind the door has been doing the killings for Kira. He's also been using exactly one page everyday. Based on that, I was able to replace the page he would use today as well as all subsequent pages so that no one else would die."

Mikimi's voice could be heard from the other side of the door. "Delete, delete, delete, delete, DELEEEEEEEEEEEEETE!"

Near frowned. "On the other side of that door is X-Kira. My guess is, in roughly 40 seconds, he'll look inside to see if we are dead. That's when we restrain him and seize the notebook. Whoever his name is not written down must be Kira."

Aizawa spoke up. "It, it's true. Kira would be the only one that guy wouldn't try to kill. But still …!"

Light went into a deep state of thinking. "Hmm."

After he was finished, he glanced at the door. "You there, outside. Have you finished writing down the names in the notebook?"

"Yes, I've written them."

"Huh!" Everyone on Light's side of the room was panicky.

The seconds ticked away, and finally, 35 seconds passed.

Near piped up. "Don't you think it's rather odd?"

"Hm?"

"Why would he answer you so quickly, calmly and honestly when you asked him if he had written down our names yet?"

Light shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe he is just honest. Or, confident in he'll succeed or perhaps he's seen through your brilliant plan."

Matsuda gulped. "Huh?! In that case, we are in big trouble."

"Teru Mikami! If it's not too much trouble for you, won't you please come in and join us? I already know that you are the one who's been judging and executing people for Kira. If you've already written down our names, then there shouldn't be anything to be afraid of. You can come right on in." Near spoke loudly.

A faint sound was heard. "Hm."

"Teru Mikami, is it? He's correct. There is no reason to hide from us; you can come in." Light smiled. "How many seconds has it been since you wrote down the first name?"

"… 30 seconds.

31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39!"

"Well Near, looks like I win." Light was smirking.

"40!"

L immediately walked over to Claude and Grell. He spoke quietly. "If people die here, please be prepared to reap their souls. These are simple people; they do not deserve to wander around aimlessly for the rest of their souls' lives."

"Not me," Claude immediately stated, shaking his head. "I'd... I'd /eat/ them.."

L frowned a bit at that. "You are visible and audible. I am not. Please, do use precaution. Mr. Sutcliff, would you be willing to reap the souls?"

Grell was all the way on the other side of the building, but nodded nonetheless. Hurr.

L returned his gaze to stare at the others, his eyes narrowing. It's been forty seconds.. what's going on? Does the Death Note not work the way we've anticipated it to work? He glanced at Grell and immediately realized something. Two notebooks. One fake, one real. Of course. No wonder they haven't died; Mikami did not write their names down in the notebook at all! Clever, Near; I would have made a replica, too. He then swiveled his eyes towards Claude. "Light Yagami has not caught on to the possibility of a fake notebook," he told the demon/shinigami. "Please, tell me: what do you make of it?"

"An intelligent plan," Claude responded quietly, head cocked to the side. "That kid's got a good head on him."

"Very good, yes," L replied as Matsuda spoke up.

"Um, we're still alive. It's been over a minute and we haven't died!"

Near glanced up at the man. "Didn't I already tell you all that no one was gonna die?"

Mikami's eyes widened. "Bu-bu, but why?! Why won't they die? God, I did everything you told me!"

Near shouted out orders immediately, his grey eyes deadly. "RESTER, GEVANNI! TAKE HIM NOW!"

The two did as told, tackling Mikami to the ground and forcing handcuffs onto him.

"Gevanni, the notebook, please." Near was handed the Death Note, and he opened it, showing it to the others.

"If you didn't believe me earlier, then see it for yourselves. I can confirm that the first four names are definitely the real names of the SPK members. The second four are the names of your team. The only name that hasn't been written down is Light Yagami."

Light growled a little at that. "Hmm."

"If that won't enough," Near added, "Mikami also addressed you as 'God.' And said he did what you'd asked him to. It is settled."

Light exploded at that. "IT'S A TRAP! This whole thing is a setup!This is all part of Near's plan to frame me! Isn't it little odd that no one died after having their name written in the notebook?! This proves it's a trap!"

"I believe I already told you that no one would die because I modified the notebook," Near sassed back.

Light snarled at that. "N-no, you …! That, that can't be! … This is a setup. I don't know this guy!"

Mikami took that to heart. "Ahh!"

Aizawa put his hand on Light's shoulder sympathetically. "Light, it's too late to deny it. You know Near has won. Just a moment ago, you were saying, "It looks like I win." How much more of a confession do we need?"

Matsuda fell to his knees. "Light …, why …?"

Light shoved Aizawa away. "Ha! Stop it! Aarrrhh!"

"Light Yagami, L, Kira, it's over. You've lost the game. Just a moment ago, you proclaimed your victory expecting us all to die. And, to tell the truth, you might have actually won. And I would have lost. We ended up doing exactly what you expected us to, and altered the fake notebook in Mikami's possession. However, when I said before that we'd modified the notebook, I was in fact referring to the real notebook as well as the fake."

Light stared. "Huh?"

"We only switched part of the fake notebook, but, as for the real one, we've replaced the entire thing. This notebook here is actually the real one."

"Huh?! No, impossible!"

Near kept going. "We used the same kind of pen that Mikami used, copied his handwriting perfectly, and made both the inside and the outside of our fake look exactly like the original. Gevanni was able to do it in a single night. Of course, since I had touched the real notebook before coming, I've been able to see the Shinigami as well."

At that point, Ryuk spoke up. "Oh!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shinigami. I'm Near."

"Ha ha ha! Nice to meet you, too. My name is Ryuk."

"Some of the edges of this notebook's pages are torn. Tell me, if someone's name is written on the ripped up piece of paper, will they still die?"

"Oh yeah. Of course, they would."

"I thought so. I bet you were able to use that to your advantage.

I wonder how many times you deceived with this, and how many people you killed. Light Yagami, you are Kira."

Light was deep in thought, though his expression gave everything away.

Near frowned. "You are mistaken. This was all thanks to Mello.

I believe if I explain this much, you'll begin to understand." He flipped open a page and held it out to Light. "Please take a look at this page of the notebook."

Takada's name was broadly displayed on the page. L frowned. Light's original girlfriend? I'm not surprised.

Mikami was desperate. "God, you told me you couldn't move freely. I had to make sure Takada was taken care of! Wasn't that my duty to you?!"

"You idiot! I gave you strict orders not to make any unnecessary movements until today!" Light snapped.

Near spoke. "It's all true. On the 26th, right after Takada's kidnapping was broadcast on the news, Mikami went to the bank."

Gevanni's face darkened a bit. "I've been trailing him. I knew he went to the bank every month on the 25th, so it was odd for someone so methodical to go to the bank twice in two days. I followed Mikami to the bank as he headed for the safe-deposit boxes. It was only at this time that he seemed concerned whether someone was following him or not. I got into his safe-deposit box; inside was the real notebook. Sure enough, Takada's name had already been written inside it."

Near knew he'd won. "Do you understand now, Light Yagami? You didn't realize that Mikami made a move on his own and wrote Takada's name in his notebook because you had already killed her using a notebook clipping yourself. This was the event that made me consider the possibility of a fake notebook. We were able to stop you thanks to the efforts of one person. It was Mello who did it all. I bet Mello knew in his heart that, working by ourselves, neither of us would be able to obtain our goal and surpass our mentor L. But, together …. Together, we can stand with L!TOGETHER, WE CAN SURPASS L! And now, acting as one, we face to Kira who defeated L, and, with solid evidence, beat him at his own game! … Let's see you try and talk away out of this one, if you can."

L stared in awe at Near. It was a competition? You did not surpass me. I still did the majority of this case. You're bluffing more than you're speaking the truth.

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by Light. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha … ! … That's right. I am Kira. And what can you do? Kill me right here? Hear this; I'm not only Kira, but I am also God of the new world! Kira has become law in the world we now live. He is the one who's maintaining order. I have become justice. The only hope for mankind. Huh, kill me? Is that really the right thing to do? Since Kira has appeared 6 years ago, wars have stopped and global crime rates have been reduced by over 70%. But, it's not enough. This world is still rotten with too many rotten people!Somebody has to do this! When I first got that notebook all those years ago, I knew I had to do it. No, I was the only one who could. I understood that killing people was a crime. There was no other way! The world had to be fixed! The purpose given to me! Only I could do it. Who else could have done it and come this far?! Would they have kept going?! The only one, who can create a new world, is me."

The room fell silent, and L stared at Kira in a new way. It was a stare full of hatred, a stare so deadly it could melt rock.

Near spoke up. "NO! You're just a murderer, Light Yagami. And this notebook is the deadliest weapon of mass murder in the history of mankind. You yielded to the power of the Shinigami and the notebook. And you have confused yourself with a God. In the end, you're nothing more than a crazy serial killer. That's all you are. Nothing more and nothing less."

Light grunted at that. "Near! Here's some food for thought. That notebook you have and the one that Aizawa brought from the Japanese task force headquarters, are they both real?"

Near did not respond.

"At the moment," Light continued, "only I know where the real notebook is. If you truly want to defeat Kira as well as test the notebook that Aizawa's carrying, I guess you're gonna..

"At the moment, only I know where the real notebook is.

If you truly want to defeat Kira as well as test the notebook that Aizawa's carrying, I guess you're gonna have to write down either my name or Mikami's. It's the only way to see if it's real... or fake!" At that, Light pulled out a slip of paper and began writing on it. Rester was quick to point it out.

"He's hidden a piece of the notebook!"

A gunshot sounded throughout the room. L stared as Light hit the ground, clenching his bleeding hand.

Aizawa frowned. "Matsuda."

Matsuda was shaking, holding a smoking, black gun in his hands. Sweat dribbled down his face. Nobody had seen him pull it out, nor had they seen him rise to his feet.

Light snapped at that. "MATSUDA YOU IDIOT! Who the hell do you think you are shooting at?! Don't screw with me!

Matsuda was quivering uncontrollably. "What was it all for, then?!What about your Dad?! What the hell did he die for?!"

"My Dad?!" Light asked bitterly. "You mean Soichiro Yagami? That's right, Matsuda. In this world, all those earnest people like him who fight for justice; they always lose. You want a world where people like that are made to be fools?! I know you understand so kill the others! SHOOT THEM!"

Come on, Matsuda; refuse! L was rooting for the person he had disliked most when he was alive. The tables had turned.

Matsuda was crying. "You led your own father to his death. And now he's gone, you call him a fool?!"

Light paused, then began writing Near's name with his own blood.

Rester once again shouted. "His blood!"

Matsuda shot four times at Light. Blood sprayed across the concrete in the warehouse. Light screamed.

"Arrrrggghhhh!"

Matsuda snarled. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him! HE HAS TO DIE!"

L continued to stare in awe at the scene unfolding before him.

Aizawa spoke more firmly now. "Matsuda!"

Light spoke from his spot on the floor, where he was bleeding profusely. "Arrggh, damn you. What the hell is this …? Mikami, what are you waiting for?! Write down their names! Write them down!Aarrggg, kill them now!"

Rester quietly spoke. "It's finally over, isn't it, Near?"

"Yes."

"Where are you Misa?! Where is Takada?!" Light was delirious.

Mikami screamed at that and pulled out a knife. He slit himself on the wrists, and blood sprayed everywhere.

"AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!"

"Mikami!" Rester and Ide raced to his aide.

Ide barked out orders. "Quick! Stop the bleeding!"

Gevanni frowned. "It's already too late. He'll be dead in a few seconds."

Light stood and stumbled out the door. The others stared, and began to follow him.

"Wait, Light!"

"He's getting away! Light!"

Near continued to play with his hair. "Mr. Aizawa!"

"Hm?"

"It's unlikely he has any more pieces of the notebook. And with those wounds, he's not going to go far. He'll stop running soon even if we leave him alone."

Aizawa's expression darkened. "Huh, Near, I'm not gonna follow your orders."

A look of shock came onto Near's face, but quietly changed into an expression of acceptance... and defeat. "Huh? Very well, then, I'll leave it up to you."

They raced out the door, leaving Near completely alone in the warehouse. He continued to play with his hair and spoke quietly to himself.

"It's over. It's finally over. We lost L and Mello, as well as the majority of the SPK, but we won."

L stepped towards the white-haired boy and sat down next to him. He said nothing, instead preferring to watch the seemingly-alone detective at thought. I am not lost, Near. I am here.

The warehouse was finally silent. L felt something pricking at his skin, and he stood, trying to brush off whatever it was. The pricking increased, however, and soon he was pacing back and forth, prying at his skin and trying to rid himself of the itch. What is this?

Grell then suddenly stepped forward dramatically, opening his arms. "How /rude/ of you, Gevanni!" he exclaimed in a dramatic yet semi-joking manner. "How rude of you to take all the credit, you know, /I/ helped too!"

Claude's jaw dropped at that statement. He knew the statement was actually directed at L, as the shinigami grinned specifically in his direction.

L glanced at Grell, as did Near.

"Mr. Sutcliff, Gevanni is not here currently," the boy grunted, hiding his shock at seeing his 'coworker'. "Although you did help him with tracking Mikami, I do not think your involvement was necessarily an important thing to mention. Good to know you care, though."

"He still can't see me," L explained, continuing to scratch the heck out of his arms. "I refuse to let him, as well; he does not need to know I live on as a shinigami." He paused, his expression darkening. "Wait- I missed the point. What did you just say?"

Grell chuckled at that. "Oh, how rude! If I remember correctly, I was the one who revealed that Light was Kira and that Mikami had a death note, and /helped/ Gevanni track the man! Honestly, you guys are such /credit-stealers!/"

Near stared at Grell for quite some time. "...you didn't reveal it," he muttered. "Granted, you did tell me outright who they were, but I had no current reason to believe you. It wasn't until I proved you correct that I believed you. Understood?"

L continued to scratch at himself.

"I still helped!" Grell protested, rolling his eyes. "Ah, whatever! I've got an appointment.. somewhere else. Seeya~!"

And with that, Grell turned and sashayed away, exitting the building and discreetly dragging L with him by the shirt, though no one would notice he'd grabbed at the air.

"Oi- no," L grunted. "I know, I know- my purpose has been fulfilled and I need to place an object on my grave. Let me procrastinate this, assuming you are taking me away for that purpose." He broke free and went back over to Near. "I need time to observe him.. Claude, please reveal yourself to Near as one of Light's coworkers, and tell him that you were stationed there in case of attack- Light's orders. Understood? I am going to communicate with Near through you."

"Oi, I'm not tellin' the kid I was working for Kira!" Claude huffed back in a whisper. "Unless you mean, as part of the task force or something..."

"Yes, as part of the Task Force. If you were to tell him you were working for Kira, then he'd likely divert your attention for the amount of time it would take for the others to return. He would promptly arrest you after that. Tell him you were working for Light, but make it a believable performance."

Claude then stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to Near. "Well, that was a shock..." the man murmured, staring at the trail of blood Light had left as he crawled away. "I never thought that he'd actually be Kira."

Stupid human mode activated.

"Huh? Oh, hello. Why were you not with your colleagues?" Near immediately caught on to the 'situation'. L watched with a critical stare.

"I was one of Light's coworkers!" Claude responded, cocking his head. "I was stationed there in case of an attack- Light's orders."

"I know you were a coworker of Light's. An attack? Well, he may have been crazy, but you have to admit, he was quite the strategist."

L frowned a little bit. If I can kill two birds with one stone here, that would be amazing... I have yet to explain to Claude that I set things up the way I did. He saw my Record but he didn't see what happened after it. "Ask him if he knew L on a personal level."

"Yeah, that's true," Claude chuckled in response. "Oh, uh, by the way... I have a question. Out of curiousity, did you know L on a personal level?"Near glanced up at Claude out the corners of his eyes. "To an extent," he replied. "I spoke with him once or twice. Believe me; none of that information will tell you about me."

Clever, Near, L thought. I said something like that once.. "Ask him if he had any connection to Light before he knew Light was Kira."

"Ah, that's cool," Claude responded, blinking. He had no idea what else to say. Claude sucked at speaking with people and social situations in general- he wasn't /unintelligent/ or /stupid/, he just sucked at social-ness.

L glanced at Claude and repeated what he had said. "Ask him if he had any connection to Light before he knew Light was Kira." Must not have heard me above that fan on the wall. No problem; that's natural occurrence.

"Did you have any connection to Light before you knew he was Kira?"

"Elaborate what you mean by that for me, please," Near replied. "Do you mean connection as a friend, or in general? You already know I spoke with him in general when we were working on the Kira case."

Claude sent a light glance at L with just his eyes, basically asking him what to say.

"You're smart," L muttered in response to the glance. "You know to ask him about it as a friend."

"I meant as a friend," Claude then stated. /Sorry, L... I suck at talking to people./

Near responded. "No," he replied. "To be perfectly honest with you, I was thrown into the case without much advance warning. Death does that to people; it screws everything up."

L glanced at Claude, feeling guilty for commenting about his intelligence. "You're intelligent," he reassured the shinigami. "Intelligence has nothing to do with social anxiety... if that's what you're dealing with, of course. Please ask Near about L's death- let's see how much he knows, eh?"

"...How did L even die?"

"How? I think it's common knowledge by now."

L understood. "He's being vague because he doesn't want to give away too much information... but asking him how I died isn't a good question. Not good at all- you're narrowing down possibilities for yourself. He can now confirm that you joined the Kira investigation after my death, meaning you didn't see my death like the others did. Ask about it- don't ask how it happened."

Claude was pretty confused about the wording of L's words, not exactly understanding what he meant. Ask about it? How? What exactly was he even supposed to ask?

Near glanced up at Claude. "You seem to be having trouble with something," he muttered. "Since this has turned into a Q-and-A session, go ahead and ask for the details, if needed- I will comply."

L also noticed Claude's confusion. "Ask about it," he repeated. "Time, day, where it happened, what happened, what happened beforehand- you know. Basic details." Not an investigator or detective by any stretch of the imagination, he thought to himself about his colleague.

Claude did /not/ enjoy social interaction with strangers, especially asking them suspicious questioned. After a moment, though, he swallowed his nervousness and asked another questioned. "What I meant to ask, was, like... the details. You know, the time, day, where and what happened, you know, stuff like that.."

"It's my turn to ask you a question," Near replied. "Do you have Asperger's?"

L was taken aback by that question. After a moment, he placed a hand on Claude's shoulder. "...I've been meaning to ask you the same thing," he murmured. "Do you?"

"Er... what?"

"Do you have Asperger's Syndrome?" Near repeated himself, more slowly this time.

L began to explain. "Asperger's is a... condition.. in which a person's ability to effectively socialize and communicate is affected negatively."

"Oh..." Claude responded, backing away a small bit and glancing away in embrassment. "Then uh... I guess yeah, I might... I'm not exactly great at interaction."

"Well, then that's one thing we have in common," Near replied. "There are a select few I will talk to- even then, I'm not exactly the greatest at conversation. I'm physically unable to censor my words. What comes to mind flows from my mouth."

"Ah, I'm like that, too!" L exclaimed, though his expression did not change.

Near awaited a reaction.

Claude cracked a small, nervous grin at that. "I'm the same way," he responded, and then had no idea what else to say.

"No, you're not," Near replied. "You have social anxieties. People with Asperger's cannot control what they say or do. My friend, you suffer from a different disorder. Now, please, tell me this: since you have social anxieties, why did you join the Kira investigation?"

"Think this one through," L murmured. "Use your brain and think of a plausible reason."

"...To be honest, I've always loved detective work," Claude responded, cocking his head to the side. "I, uh... It's kinda stupid, really, but I thought it might help with my social anxieties."

"Perfectly acceptable," Near replied. "Any other reason? And, why did you join the Kira case?"

"He's being clever," L muttered. "Try and out-clever him."

"It was an interesting case," Claude responded with a light shrug. "I wanted to help out with it and beat Kira."

"What made you think you were skilled enough to do it?"

"I don't know, really.. It doesn't hurt to try and solve something, right?" Claude was very visibly nervous about this conversation, not really knowing how to properly respond.

"Did working on the case help you with your anxieties at all?"

"...Unfortunately, not really."

"What do you think would help?"

"I dunno..."

"I happen to know of a therapy group for anxieties. Would you like to attend?"

"..." Shit.

"This is interesting. Tell him yes," L muttered.

"I guess..."

"Come with me," Near murmured, standing and nearly falling back down. "I forgot to add, I have something wrong with my legs. Would you be of assistance in helping me stand properly? I can walk, but the initial getting up is where I have difficulties."

"Er.. sure," Claude responded, blinking. He reached out a hand, grabbing Near's and lightly pulling him up.

Near leaned his weight onto Claude until he could stand properly. He allowed his legs to adjust before tottering off towards the entrance. "Come on; it's within walking distance, I believe."

"After you, Mr. Faustus," L murmured.

Claude followed after Near without a word. Herp derp.

And so, after three hours of sitting through a therapy session, L finally pulled Claude out and grunted.

"Waste of my time. Did it help you? Tell the kid," he muttered, pointing towards Near, who had actually been nice enough to wait for Claude in case he needed directions home from there. Even Near could be nice when he wanted to be.

Claude turned to Near, a tiny grin on his face. "Eheh, thanks," he murmured, still glancing away a bit. "It didn't really do much, to be honest, but thanks anyway. I'll, uh... be going now."

And with that, he began to stalk away.

"Bye," Near replied. He also began to walk away, ignoring the massive amount of people who laughed at his appearance as he walked.

"I pity him," L muttered as he and Claude walked in the opposite direction. "He deals with quite a bit, and at such a young age, too. It's... sad? No, it's pitiful."

Claude didn't respond, merely staring down at the ground as he walked. "...That was the most embarrassing few hours of my life," he muttered, not looking like a very happy camper.

"Correction: boring, not embarrassing." L faked a yawn to prove his point. "But now I know how therapy sessions work. They're a lot more boring than I thought they were. That's useful information."

"Both."

"You're the one that told him you wanted it."

"Because you told me to! And it's not like I really had a choice... if I declined, he might've suspected me of something."

"He seemed to want to get away from the topic of himself more so than wanting to suspect more people. And, I did tell you, but you did it. You didn't act on your own free will."

Claude merely snorted at that. "Yeah, yeah, whatever... let's get back to the manor."

And with that, he poofed himself back to the manor- where Grell already was, sitting with Sebastian on the couch.. or more like, sleeping with his head on the demon's shoulder. Adorable.

"Ignorant idiot," L muttered when he saw Grell. "Ignorant, ignorant idiot. I need rest. Goodnight." He then tottered away to sleep.

"Alright then," Claude responded simply, before joining Grell and Sebastian on the couch.

L found himself unable to sleep, so he went back into the living room to silently stare at Claude. "Mr. Faustus, you've changed."

Claude glanced up at L, blinking in confusion. "Changed? What do you mean?"

"You just... have."

"...Explain."

"I can't. It's a sensory detail that I cannot describe."

Claude shrugged at that. "...Okay then."

"But... it's a major change. What is going on... you're not at all like you were originally when we met!"

"...Actually, I am very similar to how I was when we first met, other than the fact I am now a demon, and also your butler."

"No, you've definitely changed."

"If you could explain how, then I could try and revert back."

"You're too... uh... something. You're too something."

"...Hyper?"

"No..."

"..Social?"

"No, definitely not that..."

"Unintelligent?"

"No.."

"...Is there something on my face?"

"Pain!" L exclaimed, immediately punching Claude in the face. Saw the opportunity. Took it.

"...Well, that was nice," Claude stated sarcastically, wincing from the pain in his face now. "The hell was that for?"

"Opportunity arose. You're still too something."

"...Less reclusive?"

"...No..."

"Then I've got nothin."

"AHA! Sarcastic!"

"...I'm too sarcastic? But I've been sarcastic since we met... Hell, we practically had a sarcasm battle or something before I first even invited you to my house."

"Then it wasn't sarcasm."

"Then, again, I have no idea what it is."

"Hmm... Mr. Michealis? Ideas?"

"No, due to the fact I didn't even really know him until you two showed up on my doorstep a few days ago."

.

"Ah. Well, if none of us know, then it's likely unimportant." L shrugged it off and stretched his arms a bit. "I want to pull a prank on somebody... how sad. I have turned towards the lowest form of entertainment. Well.. maybe not the lowest. The lowest form of entertainment is pornography, but.. you get the gist."

"Prank the servants," Grell then chimed in, with a light chuckle. "That'd be funny to see.~"

"...how did you wake up so fast?"

"I was never actually asleep."

"That's a dick move on your part. Eavesdropping is a dick move. Thought you knew that."

"It's not a dick move if I was in the room before you were."

"What reason do you even have for eavesdropping? It's still a dick move in my book."

"...Maybe because I didn't want to get up just so you could talk to Claude and Sebastian when I had no reason to? I'm comfortable right where I am."

"...oh, ok."

Grell just stared blankly at him, rolled his eyes, and then flopped his head back onto Sebastian's shoulder again.


	7. Wolves Suck

**NOTE: There is an actual plot-device explanation much later on regarding any strangely OOC actions of the characters! It explains many different situations- from Levi and Hanji's fight to L's insanity in future chapters, as well as how he treats Claude in this chapter. So please, don't let any OOCness chase you away!**

 **Also, sorry about any remaining timestamps, as always- it's 7 AM and I haven't gotten any sleep, so I'm too tired and lazy rn to edit all of them out.**

And so the night passed, with L becoming more and more furious with his predicament. He was itching like mad, and decided maybe some cake would be nice. However, the second he went outside, his skin flared up, and he was forced to stick to the shadows as he made his way along the wall towards the cake shop.

He didn't even think for a second that he may be reverting back to his soul's form.

He continued along at a rather high speed, gaining ground and desperately wanting sweets. He raced into a confectionary and immediately stuffed bundles of candies into his pockets, effectively hiding them. When he returned, his skin had darkened significantly, but he took no notice to it as he sat down at the table to eat his stolen goods.

Claude frowned as L returned, looking somehow different than usual, seeming /darker/.

And then he remembered something. "Hey, uh, Ryuzaki... you should do the grave thing. You know- where you put something you owned on your grave. Apparently spirits need to do that after their purpose is filled- which was, I'm assuming in your case, defeating Kira. You're starting to change the way you look..."

"Huh? I look perfectly normal," L replied ignorantly. "You may need new glasses, Mr. Faustus. I will do it later."

"I look perfectly normal," L replied, continuing to stuff his mouth with sweets. "It's you who looks horrible."

"You're... /darker./"

"That's racist. It's just the lighting."

"It's not racist, and it's not the lighting."

"How can you be positive it is linked to my grave?"

[ 08 PM | 12 PM] "Because there's a tradition... thing, where when a soul's purpose is fulfilled, they have to go and put something they owned on their grave, or they'll itch and be extremely uncomfortable until they do. And if they're a shinigami, well... they'll turn back into their soul form."

"...how can you be so sure that this is my soul form? I'm not that bad a person, I don't think."

"You're not, but soul forms in general aren't very pleasant. Why do you think humans are so terrified of ghosts and other paranormal beings?"

"I know something you don't about souls. They actually do reflect who the person really is. My apologies."

"They do, in some manner, however as I said, soul forms in general aren't exactly pleasant, no matter how the person was in life."

"I've seen soul forms and I beg to differ. The soul's form directly shows what the person was like in life. Sorry, but you're wrong; I actually studied this."

"So did I."

"Evidently your research was inadequate.. or maybe you're simply basing your facts on experience?"

"If I'm wrong, then my teacher was the dumbass who taught false facts."

"Anyway... I see that my skin is turning darker. Oh, look, holes are forming, too, and it's rubbery. How nice." L's condition was deteriorating by the second; he looked like a beaten-up tire by now.

Claude didn't exactly think the look of L was very /pleasant/, but decided not to say anything about it due to not wanting to offend or piss him off.

L went back to eating his candies. If you're going to say something, speak up; your silence is really bothering me.

Claude didn't say anything, and merely pretended as if nothing at all was wrong with L's appearance, even though it kinda creeped him out.

"Mr. Faustus, do you know where Mr. Ackerman and Ms. Zoe went? I'm curious as to whether or not they resolved their disagreements." L continued to deteriorate, and he looked like a charred zombie at this point. Still, he continued to eat his candies, completely oblivious to his appearance. Claude's acting skills were impeccable, and he did not notice the other man's slight fear in the slightest.

"Actually, no; I haven't been to the shinigami realm in a long while... and to be honest, I'm pretty sure that the next time I ever face Levi and Hanji, it'll be in battle. It's... well, in their nature. Shinigami aren't usually friendly with demons."

"You're only part demon," L reminded Claude flatly. "You still count as a shinigami. Nothing has changed except for your own self-awareness."

"Still... shinigami are like that. Anything that eats souls is on their hate list... even Levi and Hanji."

"Hmmph..." L finished his candies and stood, gathering the wrappers in his dead hand and throwing them away... and then his arm fell off.

"I don't own anything!" he exclaimed. "It was all burned after the Kira case! I checked! Maybe Wammy's House will have something?"

"Possibly," Claude responded, staring at L's arm stump with a disturbed expression. "Er, L, your uh... arm.."

L took notice of it and frowned. "...this is very painful," he muttered, his skin starting to crumble off. "You would think that fulfilling your purpose in life would be positive, but.. this is really painful. Nothing in comparison to the pain I will feel when I reach my grave, however..."

Claude gave a slow nod. "Yeaaah... that's true."

"Come on; let's go visit your demon father and see if we can learn more about what a hybrid demon can do. I'm curious about it." L shoved his emaciated arms into his pockets and began to totter away, headed for Sebastian's room. He also intended on checking in with Ciel; after all, he hadn't seen the boy in a while.

Sebastian was currently in the living room, sitting on the couch. Ciel was asleep in his room, as it was still night. Grell was asleep in Sebastian's room, since Sebastian never used the room for sleeping anyway due to the fact that demons don't sleep. Herp.

"Mr. Michealis," L muttered, poking at Sebastian from behind, using the element of surprise. "What can hybrid demons do, exactly?"

Sebastian turned to gaze blankly at L, wrinkling his nose at the man's appearance. "First of all, I apologize to say this, but you look repulsive, and your soul's scent is extremely strong at the moment, it's intoxicating. Please, step back a bit, will you? Second of all, as answer to your question; A half-demon can have all the same abilities as a full demon, with the added abilities of whatever they're mixed with."

L had brought his severed arm with him, and he held it in his remaining hand, pointing one of its fingers at Sebastian. "First of all, rude," he grunted. "Second of all, thank you; my curiosity got the better of me."

"Apologies, but, if you do not step back, I'm afraid my instincts will get the better of me and I will attempt to devour your soul. It is /extremely/ intoxicating. Demons are strongly attracted to souls, and when one is so /open/ as yours.."

"I'm offended, but I don't want to be eaten... here, have my arm to tide you over." He tossed the arm at Sebastian and quickly stepped away. "I'm going to go wake Mr. Phantomhive.. I have not seen him in a while." And with that, he headed upstairs.

"Sorry, but sometimes the truth hurts," Sebastian snorted in response, tossing L's gross severed arm away from him. "I didn't say it to offend you, but to /inform/ you that you were in danger of becoming a demon's lunch. We can't exactly control our instinct to devour souls."

L didn't reply, instead slowly creaking open the door to Ciel's room. I see potential for a prank... Without turning on the lights, he took up a spot next to Ciel's bed, staring intently at the boy's sleeping figure while his condition continued to deteriorate. Come on; wake up to the feeling of being watched.

Ciel didn't move a muscle, and remained sleeping. He wasn't exactly easy to wake up.

L reached an emaciated arm towards Ciel and grabbed the boy's hand quickly. He squeezed it tightly, not letting go as he felt himself puncture skin- whose skin it was, he did not know. If I cut myself, great; if I cut Ciel, perfect.

Ciel yelped and pulled away, glaring at the source of the pain that was now in his hand.

"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, eyes narrowed. His contract-bearing eye was completely visible now, as he slept with his eyepatch off. "Sebastian! Get in here, there's this gross /thing/!"

Sebastian entered, strolling in lazily without a care in the world. He then casually leaned on the wall, staring at Ciel with a small smirk. "Young master, that's L. He's in soul form."

"...What the actual fuck? It's /creepy!/"

"And what do you expect me to do about it?"

"..."

L was giggling. "I saw the opportunity and I took it. Your reactions are priceless, Mr. Phantomhive!" He scratched a bit at the back of his neck, a finger or two falling off in the process. "I am quite literally disintegrating, though... I need to find something I used to have ownership over. Would you like to help me search?"

"...Ask Claude. He's your butler, not me."

"No, but you're a detective; I thought you'd be more capable of tracking something down."

"Yes, well, I'm not in the mood to get up at midnight to find something with you. I'm a detective, yes, but I don't just do random work for anyone for free. I work on my own terms. I'm no one's chess piece."

And with that, Ciel rolled over and went back to sleep.

"No, but surely you dislike... fingers!?" And with that, L broke off the rest of his fingers and threw them at Ciel's sleeping form.

"...L, that's disgusting. Sebastian, get them off of me and get him out of here."

Sebastian chuckled at that and began collecting the fingers, and threw them out the window. He then grabbed L and pulled him out of Ciel's room, and shoved him at Claude.

"Hey- hey! That wasn't very nice," L muttered as he slammed into Claude. "Mr. Faustus, your deductive skills are horrible, but... I suppose I could enlist your help in tracking down something that I own, before I crumble into dust."

"Finally you decide to actually do it," Claude snorted in response, sounding a bit amused. "Well, come on then."

He then started to stalk away, but as he walked, something very /strange/ occured.

Claude suddenly froze, and his entire body began to /change./ His shape completely changed, and fur covered him.

In only a few moments, a large, oversized black wolf stood in Claude's place.

"...You've /gotta/ be kidding me," Claude groaned in annoyance, sitting on his haunches. "Why, demon abilities, why must you screw up again /now/..."

"You're uglier than I am."

"Okay, that was plain rude," Claude snorted in response. "Wolves aren't that ugly. At least I don't look like a decomposing corpse."

"At least I have a reason to look like this. Wolves are quite ugly, when you think about it."

"...I happen to like wolves," Claude huffed, rolling his eyes and flattening his ears. "Tch... whatever. Get on my back, I'll carry you. It'll be faster than a carriage."

"...Mr. Faustus?"

"What?"

"I'm too proud to ride on the back of an oversized dog."

Claude glared at L, eyes narrowed. "Get on my back, you decomposing corpse zombie thing. Do you want to turn to dust?"

"It's suspicious. You re visible, I am not; you'll be caught and killed."

"I'm a demon, a human cannot kill me. Besides, I'm very fast. I heard Sebastian was shot multiple times in the head once, and was perfectly okay."

"Fine. Just, hurry, okay?" L clambered onto the wolf's back, despite it being very hard to do- he'd just sacrificed his fingers, after all. "Onward to Wammy's House!"

"Use your legs and thigh muscles to keep yourself on me... if you have to use your teeth to hold on to my scruff, do so," Claude then commanded, before dashing off at great speeds. The wolf was soon out of the manor, and heading towards their destination.

L, humiliated, bit down on Claude's scruff. He was falling apart, and his left leg nearly fell off. He was able to stabilize it against Claude's flank, however, and didn't dare move an inch out of fear of losing it.

Claude dashed through streets and forests, and within an hour, had made it all the way to Whammy's House- which would take much longer if going by carriage.

"Alright, get off," Claude then barked, sitting down and basically making L slide off. "You go in there, you can't be seen."

"Okay," L replied, hopping off of Claude and hobbling into the building. He supported himself on the walls and made his way through the building, thinking he wouldn't be seen.. until his Death Note fell out of his pocket. He happened to be in the play room at that moment, where the older kids often stayed up late to work on studies. A teenager saw the notebook and picked it up, flipping through it and frowning a bit. L stared at the teenager, neither willing nor not willing him to see the contents. Due to his indecisiveness, the kid was able to see him, and let out a yell, dropping the book. L was unable to pick it back up and stared into the terrified teen's eyes. He was in a bit of a conundrum. The teenager kept shouting and yelling and causing a general commotion, and L silently willed Claude to come to his aide.

Claude, hearing the child scream and yell about seeing a monster, immediately leaped into action. The large wolf dashed towards the building, crashing in through the window and facing the children with a loud growl, his lips curled back in a threatening snarl.

"Keep quiet!" he barked, tail whipping around behind him. "Stop screaming, you didn't see a thing, got it?"

The child backed away, his eyes bugging out. L flipped around to stare at Claude.

"No, no, that's no good," he criticized. "You need to be a human when talking to humans. Otherwise you make things worse."

"They can't do anything about it!" Claude barked back at L. "No human can hurt me, or you. Besides, I don't /know/ how to transform back!"

He then lunged for the Death Note, gripping it and tossing it at L. The wolf then glanced back at the kids, ceasing his snarl and standing straight. "You will not speak a word of this to anyone, understood?" he commanded, tail whipping behind him.

The other kids were incredibly confused, and they all glanced at each other. L had caught the Death Note with his teeth, and he bent down to place it in his pocket. He then glanced back at the children and immediately realized something.

"My puzzles," he muttered to Claude. "They're in that closet over there. They're completely white- no patterns. Please retrieve one for me."

Claude gave a nod at that and dashed towards the closet and opening it, grabbing one of the puzzles and tossing it towards L.

The puzzle hit the ground with a crash, and L stump-palmed. "Claude, I can't catch it, let alone hold it."

"Catch it with your teeth," Claude snorted, stalking over to L and picking up the puzzle in his jaws. "Whatever. Come on, get on my back again, let's go."

L did as he was told, and they returned to the manor as L commanded.

Claude actually went to the graveyard instead, since, you know, L was supposed to put the thing on his grave.

L jumped down off of Claude's back and reached an invisible barrier. Visible pain racked through his body and he leaped back, yelping. A purple mist burned through his skin whenever he neared the boundary, and he stared at it with wide eyes. It disappeared when he backed away, however, and he glanced at Claude with a hopeless look.

"Go on," Claude commanded in a gentle voice, sitting on his haunches. "It's going to be painful, but you'll have to endure it. Think of it this way, would you rather endure excruciating pain for a few moments, or feel constant, yet duller pain the rest of your entire existance?"

L nodded quickly, his eyes setting into a determined glare. He grabbed the puzzle in his jaws and took a slight step forward, passing through the barrier. The purple mist instantly began tearing through his flesh, and he yelped consistently in agony. He dropped the puzzle several yards away from his actual gravestone and fell to his knees, gritting his teeth as his flesh melted off of him, leaving behind yellow bones stained with blood. He yelled out and hit the ground, his eyes full of pain.

Claude gave a small whine of sympathy and approached L, nudging him forward, despite the fact he was now nearly skeletal. "Come on, come on! You can make it!" he hissed, forcing L forward with his nose. "Push the puzzle towards the gravestone as I push you!"

"N- no-" L choked out, his head hitting the ground as he gave up. "No... no... please... stop it..."

"I'm sorry L, you have to!" Claude barked, gripping L and tossing him very close to the grave and nudging the puzzle towards him. "Put it on the gravestone! Hurry, and then I'll get you out of here!"

L gave one final, weak push to the puzzle, and it touched his grave with an explosion. The purple mist vanished, and L's skeleton began sinking into the ground. He knew what was happening, but was too weak and in pain to say it out loud.

Claude watched the scene, backing away slightly with his ears flattened against his head.

L's skeleton finished sinking into the ground, and a few moments passed. The purple mist began eating away at the air, leaving a new L in its path- he was in the condition he'd been in all his life, meaning his vision had been restored, as had his original weight and eye color. He collapsed to the ground, still in pain.

Claude then rushed forward, gripping L by the arm and slinging him over his back. He then quickly dashed away from the graveyard, heading for the manor again.

L allowe dhimself to droop over Claude's back, and he found himself drifting off into unconsciousness.

They soon arrived at the manor, and Claude laid L down in the guest bed, pulling the blankets over him. He then leaped onto the bed himself, curling up at the foot of it and falling asleep, still in his wolf form.

"You're so bloody weird," L commented hoarsely before drifting into full unconsciousness. He was physically and emotionally exhausted, and needed rest.

Claude snorted in response, though didn't say a word.

L continued to unconsciously sleep, the pain not subsiding.

Claude slept as well, curled up near the foot of the bed, by L's legs. Herp.

The next morning soon arrived, and L awoke curled up underneath his blankets, sucking on his thumb in a terrified bundle. The pain had somewhat subsided, but not entirely, and he was quivering from it.

Claude soon woke up as well, taking note of L's position. He gave a light sigh, curling himself around the shinigami, hoping to be a bit comforting, at least.

L glanced at the wolf that was curled around him. "Mr. Faustus, this is awkward."

"Oh, hush," Claude snorted, remaining in his position. "I'm /trying/ to be comforting here. Besides, how is it 'awkward'?"

"You're /curled up around me/," L replied. "I can't possibly be the only one to see something wrong with it."

"I'm a /wolf/," Claude snorted in response. "Besides, it's not like I mean anything intimate by it, it's a /friendly/ gesture."

"I dislike wolves," L reminded Claude, though he made no move to leave, nor did he support his comments. They may not be entirely true... I feel weak, though.

"Oh? So you dislike me, then?" Claude huffed, rolling his eyes. "What's wrong with wolves?"

"Wolves, not you. Wolves remind me too much of myself."

"How so?"

"Sly, and reliant upon others for survival. Liars, as well; never trust a wolf. It'll stab you in the back."

"That sounds more like a fox or coyote to me. Wolves are loyal."

"Only to each other. A packless wolf with take on traits that aid in its survival, until it finds a pack. And I have no need for a pack at this point."

"True... but still, they're not really that bad."

[ 18 AM | 21 AM] "I still don't like them."

[ 3:27:08 PM] Claude rolled his eyes at that. "Whatever. You'll need to get used to me though, since... I have no idea how to change back."

"Okay." L climbed slowly out of the bed and painfully made his way into the living room of the manor, clutching his arm tightly. I regret it but at least I am back to normal. I like my new eyes, too. He was limping badly, but the worst of the pain- which had been in his torso- was gone.

Claude leaped off of the bed and walked by L's side, prepared to use himself to keep L upright if he had trouble walking and ended up needing support.

Ciel and Sebastian were currently in the living room, tending to something else that was now lying on the couch.

As Claude drew closer, he picked up the scent of an unknown person, and made his way around the couches to get a look.

There, lying on the couch and wrapped in bandages and covered in blankets, was a young blonde boy of Ciel's age. He looked pretty banged up, and was currently being tended to by Ciel and Sebastian.

He also looked downright emaciated, as if he hadn't eaten in weeks, and was currently unconscious.

L leaned heavily on Claude, his eyelids heavy as he stared at the stranger. "That was me two hours ago, but without the bandages," he commented hoarsely, his perception of time completely inaccurate. He crawled onto the couch next to the boy slowly and laid the child's head in his lap, comforting him. Even though he disliked children, he was still kind when he chose to be, and at the moment he felt extreme sympathy. Laying (Alois's) head in his lap did not obstruct Ciel and Sebastian's work, so he did not mind doing it.

"Where'd this kid come from?" Claude then asked, ears flicking. "Who is he?"

"We found him out in the streets, when we went out to replace my walking stick," Ciel responded. "...Finny broke it by accident again."

Sebastian nodded. "Yes- he was a starved child, cowering on the streets. A stray dog attacked and tried to eat him, but my master ordered me to save him. Seeing as I /hate/ dogs, I was happy to oblige..."

As he said that, he sent a slightly disdainful look at Claude. "Hurtful," the wolf snorted sarcastically at Sebastian's look. "Not my fault."

"Yes, yes, I know. Anyway; the child was knocked unconscious in the attack, and we brought him back here to patch him up. The young master is thinking of taking him in as a servant- as he has done with Finny, Mey-Rin, and Bard."

"Servant? Mr. Phantomhive, you have several servants. Do you mind if I take this one as my own?"

"...I suppose," Ciel responded, cocking his head to the side. Herp.

L nodded and returned to stroking the boy's hair. For some reason, he was drawn to this stranger, and knew that, with a new servant, he would be having fun.

Claude tilted his head to the side, examining the injured boy. "He's so skinny," the demon then commented, lightly pulling his ears back. "Poor kid looks like he hasn't eaten in months."

"Cake will do him good," L replied quietly. This child... I am going to make him healthy. He cannot see me, and we will keep it that way. He glanced up at Ciel and Sebastian and frowned slightly. "His wounds need a little more of that syrup," he said, pointing towards a bottle of the rub-in medicine. "He also will need a new change of clothes... and what good will bandages do to these wounds? They need to be stitched."

"I've already stitched them," Sebastian then stated. "You just can't see the stitches since the bandages cover them."

He then continued tending to the kid, applying more of the rub-in medication and other things. After a while, he was all stitched up and bandaged, and they let him rest on the couch, wrapped up in blankets and propped up on pillows.

...One of those 'pillows' was the huge demon wolf called Claude.

L shoved Claude out of the way and took his place, holding the kid's head in his lap. "I need to work on kindness. What better way than to help an injured child?"

Claude huffed in amusement at that, leaping off of the couch, and jumping back on near the child's feet and curling up again. "Sheesh, L, you're really attached to that kid, aren't'cha?"

L lightly glared at Claude. "I'm just trying to work on kindness," he defended himself, though he knew Claude's words were true. I've never been able to care for someone before. This is a new experience. I refuse to reveal myself to him, though! I will be his guardian angel, of sorts. Yes, I like that idea.

"Sure you are," Claude snickered, resting his head on his huge paws. "Just keep telling yourself that."

"I will," L replied, continuing to stroke (Alois's) hair.

A few hours soon passed, and Alois finally stirred. He blinked, glancing around the room with a confused expression. He attempted the sit up, but yelped in pain and quickly laid back down, shaking. He didn't know where he was, all he knew was that he was apparently in some big manor... and big manors usually meant nobles. And nobles meant... grown men. The boy froze, shaking in his spot as he pulled the blanket more tightly around himself, a terrified look on his face. He didn't even notice the big black wolf lying at his feet.

L watched the boy from his place at (Alois's) head. He frowned, watching the terrified boy with wide, grey eyes. It'll be okay, child. He pulled the boy's blankets further up, securing (Alois). He knew that (Alois) couldn't see, hear, or feel him, but he disregarded the fact that to (Alois) it would appear as though his blankets were moving themselves.

Alois yelped as the blankets moved themselves, and quickly threw them off of him and backed up... only to fall onto the floor, hitting it with a pained gasp. Claude immediately leaped to the boy's aid, and was going to try and help him back up, but he only seemed to terrify the kid more, and he backed away, eyes wide and mouth open in a soundless scream. He backed up against the wall, curling in on himself and shielding himself with his arms, quivering in fear.

Claude stared at him, standing straight with his tail lightly waving behind him, not making another move towards the kid.

L grabbed Claude's scruff and dragged the wolf- with great difficulty- towards the kitchen. He was subtle about moving Claude's fur, and made sure that his angle made it invisible to (Alois). "Come on, Mr. Faustus; leave the boy to me. I will comfort him with atmospheric changes."

Claude huffed and flopped down onto the kitchen floor, putting one paw over the other and staring up at L with a deadpan wolf expression. "Alright, buddy, suit yourself," he stated, rolling his eyes. "But that kid's terrified out of his wits- an invisible man messing with him probably won't help much... then again, neither will a giant talking wolf, probably."

"It'll be subtle," L reminded Claude. "Remember, energies rub off on mortals; positive energy will do him a world of good, and being invisible is a plus." He paused. "Where is Ciel? He may be able to help..."

"I believe he's upstairs in his study," Claude responded, flicking his fluffy tail.

"Please fetch him for me."

Claude gave a nod and stood, dashing up towards Ciel's study. He then nudged the door open and entered.

"Hey, Ciel," the wolf called, catching Ciel's attention.

"What is it?"

"The kid's awake- and he's terrified. L wanted me to get you to help out."

CIel gave a sigh and stood, following Claude back down to the living room, where Alois was still cowered against the wall.

"He's terrified of wolves, it seems," L murmured, walking beside Ciel. He sat down next to (Alois) and watched the following scene unfold.

Ciel made his way over to the terrified boy, crouching down beside him. Alois cowered further away, a small whimpering noise emitting from his throat.

"Hey, calm down," Ciel then murmured, coming a bit closer. "I'm not going to hurt you, and neither is the wolf."

The boy paused in his shaking for a moment, slowly gazing up at Ciel.

"W-Who're you..?" he then weakly questioned, voice shaking a bit.

"I'm Ciel Phantomhive, head of this household," Ciel responded, with a tiny reassuring smile. "I'm not going to hurt you, and the wolf won't either."

"...You're the head?" Alois then questioned, looking confused. "But... But you're a kid, like me..."

"I'm aware. My parents died when I was young, I inherited the mansion."

Alois blinked in slight confusion. "O-Okay... and, um.. do you, uh... have a ghost in your house..? T-The blankets... they moved by theirself.."

Ciel had no idea how to respond to that.

"Wind," L immediately said. "This room has been drafty for its entire existence, and you need to get it fixed. Please use that excuse."

"It's just the wind," Ciel stated, cocking his head to the side. "This room has been drafty for its entire existance- I need to get it fixed."

Alois blinked at that. "Er... Okay..." he murmured in response, finally uncurling himself. He then glanced over at Claude, who was sitting there with his tail lying by his side, head lightly lowered and staring at Alois with his golden eyes.

"So, uh... you have a pet wolf?" Alois then questioned curiously.

"Yes, I do. His name's Claude."

"...Cool."

Just at that moment, Sebastian entered the room, and immediately Alois yelped and clung to Ciel, much to the Earl's surprise. The terrified look in Alois's eyes returned, and he quivered in fear, cowering away from Sebastian. "C-Ciel... please, don't let him touch me..."

"...Huh?" Ciel was extremely confused at this strange display of behavior. "...That's my butler, he's not going to hurt you."

"K-Keep him away from me..."

L frowned a bit. "Curious behavior!" he exclaimed. "Mr. Michealis, come closer, but move slowly- the boy is a frightened animal. Treat him as such."

Sebastian approached the boy, moving slowly and staring down at him with a gentle expression. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he then said in a soft, soothing voice.

...His efforts didn't work. Alois bared his teeth into a loud snarl, glaring at Sebastian with terrified eyes. "Get away!" he spat, swiping at him with his hands, positioned like a claw swipe. "/Get away/ from me!"

Sebastian and Ciel were both /very/ confused.

"Don't just stand there," L murmured, his eyes fixed on Alois. "Inquire."

"What are you so afraid of?" Ciel then questioned, staring at Alois with a confused expression.

"/Men!/" Alois snapped, still growling like a terrified animal at Sebastian. "They... They're /cruel/! Evil! Heartless!"

"...Did a man do something to you, Alois?" Ciel then questioned, restraining the other boy. Alois gave a small whimpering noise, clinging to Ciel and shaking.

"...Y-yes.." he whimpered in response, burying his face in Ciel's chest. "T-The old man.. He... he /did things/ to me..."

"Comfort him and assure him that nothing will happen to him," L advised, placing his hand on Alois's shoulder and feeding positive energies into him. "Make him understand that these men are different..."

Ciel gave a sigh and ran his fingers through the terrified boy's hair. "Don't worry, kid," the Earl sighed. "No man in this household will hurt you- not everyone is like the old man that hurt you. I promise, you're safe... Sebastian is kind, and so is everyone else in my home. You're safe..."

Alois finally calmed down, slowly glancing up at Sebastian. "...Okay then.."

L nodded towards Sebastian. "Now approach him and vow to never hurt him. It will make him feel better and important."

Sebastian then approached the boy, kneeling down in front of him with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I promise- as Ciel says, I will never harm you. You're safe here. I would never hurt a child, I can promise you that."

Alois gave a light sigh and gave up all fight, merely resting against Ciel.

The Eark then lifted the blonde, carrying him over to the couch and lying him down again, covering him in blankets.

"By the way," Sebastian then piped up, head cocked to the side. "You must be hungry.."

"...Y-Yeah.."

"Alright, then. I will be back in a moment with some food."

Sebastian then left, to go make food. Herp.

[ 27 PM | 32 PM] L climbed onto the side of the bed, making a small indent on the blankets as he did so. He watched Alois out of the corner of his eyes, observing the boy and taking note of his behaviorisms.

"Mr. Phantomhive, please ask him his name." Being half Japanese shinigami, L could clearly see that his name was Jim Macken, and that he had a good, long life ahead of him. However, he wanted to know whether or not the boy preferred an alias or not.

"Hey, kid, what's your name, by the way?" Ciel then questioned, causing Alois to glance up at him.

"It's.. Alois Trancy," the boy responded, blinking. "Why do you wanna know?"

"...Well, I can't just keep calling you 'kid' all the time, can I?"

"...True."

[ 16 PM | ] "Ah, wonderful; an alias! With a last name, as well. That's farther than I got with my own alias."

Sebastian soon returned and gave the kid some food, which he finished very quickly. Derp.

"More," L ordered. "And instruct him to eat slowly. It will allow him time to digest and pack on fat. Understood?"

Ciel gave a light nod, and Sebastian got him some more food, and suggested for nhim to eat more slowly, which Alois obeyed. Herp derp.

"Now he needs to build up muscle. Do you have a weight room? Nod or shake your head when he is not looking; I do not want him to know I exist yet."

When Alois then looked away for a moment, Ciel shook his head. Herp.

L frowned a bit. "Ask him if he goes to school somewhere."

"So, Alois- do you go to school?" Ciel then questioned, cocking his head. Alois shook his head at that.

"Education is more important than muscle build. Come on; we must enroll him in a school at once!" L jumped up off the bed and waited for the others by the door.

Ciel stared at L blankly, and then looked back at Alois. "Alright then... Sebastian, my butler, will take charge of your education then. As he does with me, he will teach you as well. And please, don't freak out during teaching sessions... he won't hurt you."

"...Okay.."

[ 6:00:07 PM | 6:00:25 PM] "...that's right, isn't it? I didn't realize you were too cool for school.." L frowned a bit and returned to the bedside. "I hope you know how to deal with children, Mr. Michealis; you're terrifying to adults, let alone a child."

Sebastian rolled his eyes at that. Of /course/ he knew how to deal with children. He dealt perfectly fine with Ciel, right?

"If it isn't too much trouble, Mr. Michealis, I would like to be in charge of choosing which material you mentor Mr. Trancy in. He will be my servant and I would like to teach him some things... using you as my puppet."

Sebastian snorted at that, and left the room. He subtly grabbed L along with him, dragging him to a place Alois couldn't hear them.

"I will be teaching him the same subjects that I teach my master," he then stated. "The boy will learn to read, write, do math, and other vital things. I may even teach him another language or two. I am no leniant teacher, L. Any student of mine comes out with high intelligence."

"I did not hear anything about detective work in your list of things to teach," L shot back. "You will be teaching him how to investigate crimes, and it will be hands-on. Understood?"

"Alright. But that will need to come /after/ he has basic skills."

"As long as he has a full education in detective work and investigation skills, I will be satisfied. And I will be watching each of your classes and making corrections if I see them."

"Alright then."

L walked back into the room and addressed Ciel. "Have him rest," he ordered. "And, apply another coat of medicine to his wounds. Infection must be avoided at all costs."

Ciel gave a light nod, and ordered Sebastian to apply more medicine to Alois's wounds. The demon obeyed, and thankfully, Alois didn't fight him.

L watched approvingly. If I am going to have a servant, he is going to receive proper care. "Mr. Michealis, please bring him a change of clean clothing... he slept in that outfit, and it is likely dirty."

Sebastian did as asked, though when he attempted to undress the boy as he usually did with Ciel, Alois flinched away. Sebastian then allowed the boy to dress himself, as he didn't want to terrify him. Herp.

[ 26 PM | 31 PM] L frowned a bit. "He needs to brush his hair. Mr. Michealis, you know what to do."

And so two months passed, with L watching Alois's every move. He had not yet revealed himself to the boy, and refused to allow the others to point him out. Instead, he silently watched over Alois, taking careful note of every detail- both physical and mental. His thinking was that, should he spot any weaknesses, he would fix them once he decided it was time to reveal himself. For now, he remained a guardian figure, and protected the boy from any potential harm; he relied solely on the others for this, issuing orders whenever he felt the need.

Living with the Phantomhive household, Alois began to grow more confident, and less terrified of everything. The boy became more open and enthusiastic, showing an actual personality besides scared and weak. He enjoyed the presence of Claude, who had accidentally given away his speaking ability around the blonde, however Alois wasn't put off by it. He enjoyed riding the wolf around, and sleeping curled up against his soft, fluffy fur. Since Alois was to be L's servant and not Ciel's, Claude took up most of the boy's care other than teaching, due to him being L's butler. The servants also met him, and he became friends with Finny, especially. Needless to say, those three, as well as Tanaka, were quite confused with the presence of the large wolf, but seeing as they knew Pluto, got over it quickly. They just assumed he was of Pluto's kind, but one that had learned speech. It seemed they didn't really mind supernatural beings.

The events of Book of Murder soon took place, and a week had passed since then.

Now, Ciel was currently in the living room, reading a newspaper headline.

"Get over?! Karnstein Hospital makes miracles happen!" it read, along with sub-headings reading: "The departed rising from death?!" and "Karnstein Hospital performs a miracle!"

Ciel stared at the newspaper with a deadpan expression, Sebastian by his side.

"Is something wrong?" the demon questioned, causing Ciel to shift his deadpan gaze over to him.

"...No, nothing is wrong," he then muttered, looking back to the newspaper.

"Uh... in what universe is that 'nothing'?" L asked bluntly, pointing towards the article. "This could go wrong in a variety of ways, very quickly. I do not consider this 'nothing', nor do I consider it a 'miracle'. But, I'll leave it up to you."

[ 50 PM | 31 PM] Ciel ignored the shinigami, continuing to read.

And just at that moment, a certain uninvited guest waltzed in through the door, and Ciel snapped his attention towards him, as the closed-eyed chinese man approached with his usual stoned look.

"Hey, Earl!" the man then called with a grin, spreading his arms. "How are you doing?!"

"/Lau/?!" Ciel exclaimed, glaring at him. Lau just grinned and stared at him. "You know, I was aiming for breakfast with you, but it seems you've finished already..."

"What on Earth could you-" Ciel started to ask, but was interrupted by Lau, who stared at Sebastian. "Say, didn't you die recently?"

Sebastian just stared in amusement back at him, while Ciel glared in annoyance, yelling, "/Listen when people are talking!/"

"Mr. Phantomhive, please calm down," L muttered. "The poor man does not appear to have any prior knowledge of manners. Give him a break."

Lau finally turned his attention to Ciel with his usual stoned grin, and Ciel stared blankly at him, arms crossed over his chest.

"...What on Earth could you want at this hour?" the boy then questioned, one eyebrow quirked. "Surely you didn't come all this way just to mooch a breakfast off of me?"

"He wants to discuss the hospital with you," L guessed, his eyes narrowed. "With this timing? Absolutely."

Time soon passed, and Lau ended up being served some food, and Ciel, Lau, and Ran-Mao sat together at a dining table, discussing things.

"A hospital that revives the dead?" Lau chuckled, seeming amused at the prospect.

"You mean that thing in the paper today?" Ciel questioned, bored.

"Yeah, that."

"Unfortunately I have little interest in the occult, so..."

"It may not be occult though."

"...What?"

"Karnstein Hospital. They seem to be doing a lot of shopping down at the back docks the Earl has me in charge of."

"Drugs?"

"No... people. They come shopping for foreign slaves illegally quite often, but the amounts are quite unusual. I doubt a hospital could fit so many," Lau then stated with a small grin. "Don't they just dispose of them when they're not needed? Not that I really care about that, but... Isn't it bad for a hospital like that to feature in regular society's news?"

"In other words, you're saying there's a possibility that the revival of the dead is occuring as a result of illegal human experimentation?"

"That's right."

"If that's true, then it's an interferance in the regular society by an Underground power," Ciel then piped up. "Sebastian, investigate immediately."

"Leave it to me."

"Take Alois," L immediately ordered. "This can be one of the hands-on activities in his studies. I will come, as well." He took his place beside Sebastian, waiting for the demon to retrieve the boy.

Sebastian nodded at that and went off to do... whatever he was doing during this part, while Ciel mused about the strange occurences.

"Reviving the dead eh..." Ciel murmured, absentmindedly staring at his ring. "How foolish... Hm?"

He then heard something strange... and suddenly found himself being tightly hugged by Lizzie.

"CIEL~!" she chirped loudly, seeming very excited. "Listen, listen! We're going on a family trip in April! We will travel to New York on a luxury passenger ship for 3 weeks from the 17th! And so, father was wondering if you'd like to-"

"That impossible," Ciel cut in with an annoyed expression.

"It's a ticket for the Campania's maiden voyage! They say it's the most luxurious ship in the world!" Lizzie continued. "Mother said it would be good if Ciel took a rest every once in a while..."

"I appreciate the thought, but I can't take that much time off," Ciel responded with a light sigh.

"Awwwwww..." Lizzie whined, tears starting to pool in her eyes. Oh no. Fuck, she was going to use her crying...

"...I'll go if it's somewhere close."

"EH?!"

"I can make time for a few days. Then I'll go wherever you want. So... wha-?!"

He then found himself glomped tightly by Lizzie. "As long as we're together, anywhere is fine~! I'm so happy!"

"/Anywhere/ is the most difficult, you know..."

[ 45 PM | ] L was investigating with Sebastian and Alois and therefore did not hear any of the above dialogue.

Lizzy soon left, and waved at Ciel as she left in the carriage, screaming: "I'll bring back souvenirsssss!"

Ciel just gave a tiny little amused grin, rolling his eyes... and then suddenly had Sebastian in his face with a grin of his own, bearing a doctor's outfit, complete with a stethoscope.

"What are you grinning at~?" the demon questioned, startling Ciel.

"Don't surprise me like that!" the boy exclaimed, glaring. "And what's with that outfit? ..And I wasn't grinning!"

"Well, as they say," Sebastian chuckled in response. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Moreover, I obtained some rather interesting information."

Ciel stared blankly at Sebastian, giving him the signal to go on.

"It's about the aforementioned Karnstein Hospital," Sebastian explained. "It seems that the upper-ranked doctors, including the director Ryan Stoker, have opened an association called the 'Aurora Society'. According to a nurse who squealed, the Aurora Society holds presentations for the results of their experiments regularly and collects donations from nobles. The Aurora Society's true face is that of a secret society that consists solely of doctors, who have 'The complete salvation of mankind through medicine' as their motto... It has been confirmed that the members conduct illegal human experiments within the hospital daily. There was no sign of slaves inside the hospital and there was nothing pertaining to human experiments or the revival of the dead."

"It couldn't get any fishier than this, huh?"

"Yes. I'm certain there is some definite clue to be found in this 'Aurora Society'."

"When is their next meeting?"

"It is to be scheduled to be on a passenger ship departing from Southampton on the 17th of April."

"Hmph... meeting on a ship.. that sounds like something nobles would.. hm?"

He then paused. "...April 17th?" Ciel then immediately stood, hands on his desk. "What is the name of that boat?!"

"The Blue Star Line's luxury ship," Sebastian then began, "The Campania."

...And so, they decided to go on that ship, which would happen in a week or so.

And L just stood around.

Alois had went to go play around with Claude while Sebastian explained things to Ciel, and was currently riding around on the large wolf demon's back.

L watched them quietly, his grey eyes observant. You are doing well, Mr. Trancy.

"Hey, Claude," Alois then chirped, petting the wolf's fluffy ears. "Can we go on a ride out in the forest? Please? It'll be fun!"

Claude cocked his head to the side, thinking for a moment. "I suppose we could," he responded, flicking his ears. After all, he hadn't seen anything dangerous there so far. "Alright then, Alois- hold on tightly to my fur and /don't fall off/."

And with that, Claude took off, leaving the manor and heading for the woods.

L decided to follow them, as he had done everywhere Alois went. This should be a time to reflect upon my past choices, and what I have in store for Alois. Good; quiet time is always a necessity.

Claude made his way through the forest, with Alois riding on his back, snuggled into his fluffy fur. They rode in mostly silence for a while, until they were suddenly interrupted by loud snarls. Claude lifted his head, ears flattening against his head, as a huge pack of coyotes showed themselves, surrounding them on all sides, snarling at the two. Claude turned to try and dash away, but was intercepted as multiple coyotes lunged for him, throwing him violently to the ground and ripping into his flesh with their sharp fangs. Alois was hit away from the wolf, and hit the ground, sprawled out among the dead leaves as coyotes began to stalk towards him as well, their teeth bared, and snarls coming from their throats.

L grabbed the Death Note out of his pocket and touched it against Alois's arm. "Get behind me, and do not ask questions," he ordered, taking up a defensive, basic capoeira stance in front of the boy. "You can call me Ryuzaki, and I am a friend. Do not be afraid of me; I will not do anything to you."

Alois yelped and dashed behind L, despite being somewhat scared of the man that had basically just poofed out of nowhere. He shook with fear, as the coyotes began to lunge towards L, snarling angrily.

L immediately used his skills to his advantage, kicking out at the canines and single-handedly fighting them off. His movements were quick and educated, and, although he did sustain injuries, they were mostly minor. He channeled his strength into his feet and continued to fight viciously, not taking pity on any of them.

The coyotes were soon all defeated, and Alois stared up at the strange man in awe, eyes wide and unblinking.

Claude continued to merely lie on the ground, recovering very slowly from his wounds.

[ 34 PM | 41 PM] L stood, hunched over as he walked towards the wolf. He kneeled beside Claude and gently stroked his fur. "Mr. Faustus, do try and recover quickly. I'm afraid I do not have any of my medical supplies with me at this time..." He left the conversation open so that Alois could ask any questions that came to mind.

Alois then slowly made his way over to L, staring up at him in confusion. "...Who are you? You.. you just /appeared/ out of thin air..."

"I already told you: I am Ryuzaki," L replied, standing and extending a hand to the boy to shake. "I can only be seen by those who touch my notebook- and I decided it was time for you to see me. I have been the one in charge of taking care of your basic needs; I even am the one to decide what Sebastian gives to you to wear in the morning. I have been working with you through my colleagues; they carry out my wishes."

Alois blinked up at the man, cocking his head to the side. "...What are you, then? A ghost?"

"Of sorts."

"...I'm confused."

"You shouldn't be. It's very simple: I died, and then returned. People only see me once I touch them with my notebook. I also have to will them to see me. Are you starting to understand?"

"I guess... so wait, do you live with Ciel? Are you the one who messed with the blankets when I first came, but Ciel said it was wind? Are you the reason I sometimes have the feeling of being watched, and things seem to randomly move sometimes?"

"Yes. That is all me."

"...And you've actually been the one in charge of caring for me?"

"Yes."

[ | 05 PM] "...Why?"

"Because when you first arrived, you were like me: injured. I decided that kindness would be the ideal approach, and I did my best to become your protector without actually revealing myself... I also wanted you as my servant, which is why my butler, Claude, took over from Sebastian."

"...Well, I knew I was gonna be taken in as a servant, but I thought I'd be Ciel's."

"Mr. Phantomhive has servants. I have a butler who took the place of my original one, who died the same day- within the same hour- as me. I have been doing my best to take care of you, but... I am not sure if I am doing it quite right. I've never taken care of anyone before, so please, if I make a mistake, do not hold it against me."

Alois gave a small grin. "Alright then!" he chirped, all fear of this particular man gone. "So, Claude is your butler, huh? That's kinda funny- a wolf as a butler!"

"He was not originally a wolf. He turned into one on a random occasion, and does not know how to turn back. It is... inconvenient, which is another reason why I need you."

[ 23 PM | 28 PM] Alois blinked up at L, and then glanced at Claude, and then back at L. "...Well, okay then."

"Mr. Faustus is in no condition to return to the manor, so I'll carry him." With that, he slung the wolf over his shoulder, carrying him with ease despite his being underweight. "Ask any questions you have for me when we return."

They soon returned to the manor, where L gently set Claude down on the couch. "I will answer everything as honestly as I please."

Alois flopped onto the couch beside L. "So, uh... what exactly are you? Like, are you actually a ghost, or an angel, or..."

"Shinigami. A God of Death. I am half Japanese, half European shinigami, to be exact... this is due to my living in Japan and being of European decent. Only Japanese shinigami have Death Notes, and the ability to see a person's real name and lifespan. I also have the benefits of a European shinigami."

"Cool! Aren't those guys the ones that go around and take the souls of people or something, and somethin' about a record? I think I met one once!"

"Yes. I do it differently, however. European shinigami use death scythes; I use my notebook. Anyone whose name is written down in the notebook dies within forty seconds. If the cause of death is not specified, they simply die from heart attacks. Each person's remaining lifespan adds on to my own. For example, a fourteen year old who was going to live twenty years would be killed by me, and six years would be added to my lifespan. It is the same for all Japanese shinigami."

"Cool!"

"Yes, very. European shinigami are more organized than Japanese, though; they have offices and civilization. Anyway.. do you have any other questions?"

"Not any that I can think of right now."

"AH, good. Now, go wash up; you're filthy."

Alois rolled his eyes at that, but stood. "Okay, okay," he chuckled, bounding away to go take a bath. Claude watched him go with a small smile on his wolfish face, and then turned to L with a smirk. "You know, I think you'd make a /perfect/ father one day."

Teasing L was fun.

"He's filthy. I cannot have my servants being disgusting and dirty," L replied, raising a hand in his defense. "And... I have no wish for any of that sort of thing."

"Oh, suuuuure. You've been caring for him through us for the past few weeks, L. You know you're attached."

"I am well aware," L replied quietly, averting his gaze. "He just... reminds me of someone who I was once close to."

"Oh? And who was that?"

[ 1 PM] "You know."

[ 1 PM] "Watari?"

[ 1 PM] "...yes."

[ 1 PM] "...He acts nothing like Watari did."

"That is true, but... I'm drawn to him the same way."

"How adorable."

"It is not adorable. It is a pain. My heart aches every time I look at either you or Mr. Trancy, and I know that I cannot allow either of you to have the same fate as Watari."

"Awwww, so you think of me like that too? How sweet."

He /loved/ teasing L.

L turned bright red, and he quickly turned away. "...shut up," he muttered weakly.

Claude laughed at that, grinning widely. "This is amusing.~"

"Playing with my emotions is not amusing."

"I'm not 'playing with your emotions', L, I'm playfully teasing."

"You are making me want to cry. That is not fun."

"...Eh?"

"..." L was gripping the couch tightly. "That is not fun," he repeated."

Claude's ears flattened, the grin wiping from his face. "Aw, c'mon, L... I wasn't trying to make you wanna cry or anything, I was just bein playful... I'm sorry, okay?"

"Do not apologize," L muttered, holding up a finger and wagging it at Claude. "Never apologize for not knowing things."

"Still," Claude whined, resting his head on his paws and lightly nudging L's lap with his nose.

L pushed Claude's nose away. "You need to turn back into your regular form. You are not a wolf, Mr. Faustus, and you should not act like one. It's... weird."

"No, but according to Sebastian, my demon type is a wolf."

"That still does not justify your new behaviorisms."

"Alright, whatever. Sorry for using wolf-like manners of comfort, I can't exactly hug you or do any human actions."

"We'll find a way around that. Mr. Michealis will know."

"Okay then."

"Go ask him and do not return until you are in your normal form."

Claude frowned at that, his ears flattening against his head. "I've already asked. Sebastian says that when a demon transforms into their animal form the first time, they /stay/ that way for an indefinite amount of time. It's not possible to transform back at will... it'll happen randomly."

"That's where science comes in. But I'm not up to it right now. You do it instead; you make yourself a cure."

"You can't do that. It's not possible, demon biology doesn't work that way."

"You know how it works better than me. You should find no trouble in finding a cure."

"As I said, it can't be done."

"Never say never. It's... horrible."

"Who are you, Justin Bieber?"

"Gross."

"Very."

"At least we agree on something."

"Yes, that's true."

"Go check on Trancy and bring him out here. Dress him, as well. I have a task for him."

"Alright, I'll try my best to dress the boy with my wolf muzzle and paws."

"Good. Always try your hardest."

Claude snorted at that. "I swear, you have a horrible sarcasm detector," he huffed, standing to his paws and stalking away towards the bathroom, where Alois was taking a bath.

L frowned but remained silent, waiting for Claude to return with Alois.

Claude soon returned, with a freshly dressed Alois riding on his back.

"Mr. Trancy, I have a task for you," L murmured, sticking a thumb in his mouth. "Are you prepared to receive your task?" He did not realize, of course, that he looked very much like a little kid, sucking on his thumb the way he was.

Alois blinked up at him, a wide grin appearing on his face as he noticed the way the man sucked his thumb. "Yeah, I am," he responded, snickering a bit. "By the way, why are you sucking your thumb?"

"The same reason a child does it," L replied. "It is comforting. It is calming. And... it helps me think." His eyes widened and he tilted his head, looking like an insane serial killer as he did so. "And we wouldn't want me to stop thinking, now, would we?"

Alois blinked, head cocked to the side at the man's response. "Fair enough," he responded. Derp.

"Tell me, Mr. Trancy," L muttered, bending over and getting on eye level with Alois. He shoved his face close to the boy's, his eyes somewhat dangerous, as they were whenever he had a new idea. Damn, they hadn't glinted like that since he was alive.

"What do you think your task is? What is your prediction?"

"Uhh... I dunno..." Alois responded, voice shaking a bit as the man's creepy look seriously un-nerved him. He glanced away, not meeting L's eyes, cowering back a small bit.

"Make a prediction, then," L muttered, not moving.

"I-I don't know," Alois whimpered in response, pressing himself against Claude's fur. "I can't... predict, if I don't have any idea..."

Claude then bared his teeth at L, raising his head to stare the man in the eye. "That's enough!" he barked, raising his tail over his back. "You're terrifying him!"

L continued to remain still. He stared at Alois's reaction, unblinking. "Mr. Trancy, please, try to predict what I have in store for you." He completely ignored Claude's outburst, instead focusing on Alois. Unbelievable! My appearance should not be so unnerving... you must not be as hard-working and determined as I previously thought..

That look was very, /very/ similar to the way the old man had looked at him, and Alois found himself shrinking away further, whimpering quietly as his grip on Claude tightened.

A loud, wolfish growl then erupted from Claude's throat, and his jaws lightly parted. "That's /enough/, L! He's terrified of grown men, you know this! You're /not/ helping!"

L backed away a bit, his eyes narrowing as the look on his face vanished. "...terrified of grown men? I did not know this..."

"Yes, you imbecile! Terrified of adult men!" Claude snapped in response, curling protectively around the shaking blonde boy. "One of them... One of them /violated/ him, L! An old man!"

"Ryuzaki," L corrected, grabbing Alois and pulling him into a very tight hug. "Mr. Trancy, let's get one thing straight: I am not interested in you in that way. Understood? I do not wish to hurt you; if I were, I would have left you to the coyotes."

Alois yelped as L suddenly pulled him into a hug while terrified, and, in his panic, sunk his /teeth/ into the man's arm, kicking and scratching and struggling to get away. "Let me go!" he yelped, struggling to get the man away from him, as tears formed in his eyes. "L-Let go of me!"

L ignored the boy, instead keeping his arms wrapped around Alois. However, his expression darkened, his eyes glaring at Claude. Alois Trancy, you need to learn some things before we can continue, and that includes manipulation. If a serial killer were hugging you and manipulating you, you wouldn't want to show fear. You would want to surprise them. His grip on the boy was metal, and Alois was unable to escape from his grasp.

Claude then gave a growl and flung himself at L, shoving him away from Alois, before curling himself around the boy. He then turned to glare at L, ears flattened and teeth bared.

"You are going to make him hate you," he barked, fur rising. "He's a terrified child who was abused and violated by an adult man. He's /terrified/ right now. Rule one of dealing with children who are terrified of you: You do /not/ touch them, hug them, or perform physical contact of any sort. It will only terrify them more and they will grow to hate you. Leave him be until he calms down, then we can reassure him you mean no harm."

"That wolf form of yours needs to go," L murmured in response. "I hate it." He turned and tottered away, his hands stuffed inside his pockets. I need to learn how to cure Mr. Faustus's condition; it is a nuisance moreso than anything else... and it seems as though he is trying to be a fatherly figure to Alois. Very well; I have no objection. I need no butler, no servant; those two may remain together, and I will find other colleagues, other people to live with. Fine by me. And with that thought, he disappeared up to the shinigami realm. I don't want to live another day with a wolf.

Claude sighed and continued to comfort Alois, until finally, he was able to calm him down, and explain that L didn't really mean to hurt him, and would never do such things that the old man did. After a long while of reassurance, Alois finally calmed down over L, and Claude was able to leave the boy alone to go searching for the other shinigami, who he sensed had disappeared to the shinigami realm.

The demon soon made his way to the shinigami realm, hiding from the other shinigami as he sought out L. When he finally caught sight of him, he then stalked over to him, ears lightly flattened.

"Look, L- I'm sorry, okay?" he then stated quietly, sitting down near him. "I was harsh, I know. I just... I didn't want the kid to end up disliking you or something, and I couldn't stand seeing him so /terrified/.. And I'm sorry I can't change back, really... If I could, I would in a heartbeat, but I just don't know how, and Sebastian says I can't until my demon abilities choose to do it on their own. I'm /sorry/."

"Huh?" L glanced down at the wolf. "Why? Why apologize over such a mundane thing? I understand; you like the boy. So, I'm excusing myself from the equation before I make you snap again. Goodbye." And he continued walking down the street, still in search of his apartment. It's got to be around here somewhere...

Claude gave a small whine, ears flattening against his head, and he dashed after L, blocking his path. "W-Wait, L... Don't go!" he exclaimed, staring up at him with pleading eyes. "Come on, don't... You're the only real friend I've got! Come on, L, stay..."

"Friend? You are a colleague, and I expected you to feel the same," L replied simply, continuing to search for his apartment. "My only real friend was Watari, and he is irreplaceable."

Claude stared after him, ears and head lowering at that response. "...A-Alright then," Claude responded lowly, as he then turned and began to sadly stalk away, tail dragging.

"...So he was never my friend after all.. I should've known," he muttered as he got a distance away. "I'm alone... as I've always been. Might as well just live in Hell.."

And so, Claude didn't return to the Phantomhive manor- He ended up finding a den in the plains of Hell, living as a lone demon with no master.

When Claude didn't return, needless to say, Alois was quite upset by the fact... and his care was taken over by Sebastian and the Phantomhive servants.

L watched Claude stalk away, and he frowned. I will not be one-upped again. The others will think we left due to having a falling out, but that is not the case, and I will not allow it to be. He returned to the Phantomhive manor immediately afterwards and milled about as usual, mooching off of Ciel for food and a place to stay. Finally, he approached Alois.

"Mr. Trancy, I am still waiting for a prediction," he stated, though he kept his distance.

"Like I said, I don't know," Alois responded, voice low and quiet. "Just tell me..."

"I am testing your abilities. Please put a little thought into this.."

"But I have no basis to make a prediction on..."

"Yes, you do," L replied. "From what you have seen, I suck on my thumb, which is a childish mannerism. What else is a childish mannerism? The eating of sweets. And now that you have a basis, what do you predict?"

"...You want me to get you some sweets..?"

"Correct. Please, hurry; I'm beginning to have withdrawls."

Alois gave a tiny grin at that, relieved that it wasn't anything /bad/, like the man's creepy look from earlier had led him to believe. He soon got some money from Ciel and set out, soon returning with a few cakes.

"Here ya go!" he chirped, setting them down on the table and handing one to L.

L grabbed the cake, but before he began to eat he glanced at Alois. "Mr. Trancy, please do not misunderstand my motives. I need you to understand manipulation, as well as how to do it; you're too pure. You need to learn how to lie, and how to lie well."

"Er... okay..."

"I'm going to run you through a list of exercises. I will ask you questions and you will decide whether to lie or truthfully answer." L made eye contact with Alois and asked the first question.

"Do you like puppies?"

"No, I hate puppies. They're gross and their licking is extremely annoying and slobbery, and they bark all the time and piss on the floor."

"Lie," L immediately said. "Do you like raspberries?"

"Ew, raspberries are gross," Alois responded, sticking his tongue out childishly.

"...based on the fact that none of these cakes are raspberry, I will say that is truthful." Also, you stuck out your tongue like a child- you were not acting. "Do you dislike Mr. Faustus?"

"Of course not!" Alois responded, rolling his eyes. "I'm not even gonna /try/ to lie about that one, it's obvious it's not true."

"Truth. Do you use the internet often?"

"No..." Alois responded, looking confused. "What's internet?"

"Truth. Do you enjoy car rides?"

"What's a car?"

"Truth. Do you enjoy drawing via an art tablet?" These are all things you do not know of... but I need you to try to lie about it.

[ 00 AM] "Oh, yeah, it's fun."

"Lie. Do you like cats?"

"Yes~! They're so adorable and soft and /fluffy!/"

"...truth..." Well played.

"Next question~?"

"Are you terrified of me?"

"Yes, actually, you're really creepy." /No, not anymore./

L stood and got into Alois's personal space, maintaining the same wide-eyed stare he used when he made new discoveries during cases. "Is that so?"

Alois squeaked and leaped backwards, beginning to shake again. "O-Only w-when you look at me like that!"

"Manipulation, Mr. Trancy," L muttered, backing away and returning to his slouched- but more upright- position. "I have one last question for you. Do you know my real name?" I never told you, and none of the servants did, either. You have never heard my real name; I know this for a fact.

"...No."

"And do you wish to know it?"

"I guess...?"

"Ryuzaki!" L tapped his nose at that. "Thank you for the cake, but I will finish it later. Mr. Trancy, please follow me." He began to totter away, headed for the streets.

[ 41 AM | 00 AM] Alois blinked and followed after him, looking confused.

Meanwhile, Claude was in Hell, living as a lone wolf demon.

"Find a gravestone," L ordered as they walked down the street. "Any gravestone will work. We are going to work on your investigation skills."

"Uh... okay.." Alois responded, as they headed towards a graveyard. Alois then approached a random tombstone. "Here's one."

"Read the name and details out loud."

"Angelina Durless, aged _, beloved sister, aunt, and nurse." idek

"Good. Now keep that in mind and go down to the police station."

"Er... okay..." Alois did as he was told, and headed for the police station, AKA Scotland Yard.

"Request files on Angelina Durless from the archives, and tell them you come directly from Ciel Phantomhive as one of his subordinates."

"Okay..." Alois responded, heading over to the head detective person, doing as he was asked.

He soon got the documents, and I was too lazy to rp the interaction.

L nodded. "She was murdered, was she not?"

"Yeah... murdered by an unknown person."

"Do you remember what her gravestone read?"

"Yeah... she was a sister, aunt, and a nurse."

"Nurse. Giving her access to...?"

"Hopsitals?"

"Medical records. Which means she was able to see..."

"...You lost me."

"Okay. She was a nurse, and an aunt, as well as a sister. Isn't it a little odd that she, at such a fine age, was not married?"

"Um... no? Not everyone wants marriage..."

"It's the 1800s," L replied. "It is uncommon for a woman of that age to be unmarried. And why do you think she was unmarried?"

"...Because she didn't meet a man she liked?"

"Unlikely. There are millions of kind, charming men out there. No, I'm going with an injury to prevent her from bearing children. And if she was unable to have children, she would likely look down upon those who actively rid of their children... and she was a nurse, so she had access to medical records..."

"...So she was that person who went around killing prostitutes?"

"What do you think?"

[ 47 AM | 05 AM] "Well, if you're correct, then... she's the one who went around killing prostitutes, but I'm pretty sure not every unmarried nurse is a murderer who can't bear children- she could have had a husband that died or something."

"Her gravestone did not mention her being a wife, and she was apparently a 'loving' aunt... which means she loved her sister's children, leading me to believe she loved children in general. And yet she did not have them."

"It said beloved, not loving- meaning she was loved, not that she loved others."

"But she did, because she was a nurse. Nurses love others; that is why they take on the profession."

"Yes, but still... if she just had a husband that died, then of course she didn't have kids because there was no man involved. But just because she's an unmarried nurse doesn't mean she had an accident that wouldn't let her have kids and so hated people that got rid of them... I mean, come on."

Ah, but I did not mention that she would be a murderer; that was you. Back to the main part of our investigation: she was a nurse. She had access to medical records. She was murdered. What does that tell you?"

"...I dunno."

"It tells you nothing. Absolutely nothing. Do try and keep up."

"...Yeah, I had no idea what the hell that was supposed to tell me. I got nothin'."

"So you'll be needing personal accounts. This is where the internet comes in, my friend. Come with me." And with that, L grabbed Alois's hand and teleported to Japan, where he entered his old apartment. It was dusty and abandoned, and the curtains and wallpaper were torn up; nobody had been in there for a very long time. L tottered through the rooms, coming across his old bedroom and entering.

The monitors and screens were still set up, but they were cracked, and inches of dust covered them. The room was illuminated by an eery, white glow, and it took L a minute to register why.

The main monitor was still turned on from before his death, and it displayed the black 'L' on a background of white.

L carefully stepped inside, taking note of the moldy smell inside that particular room. He stared at the condition of the room, and of the objects inside; it was very creepy, and he didn't like it.

Alois did /not/ like it in here. "Uh... Ryuzaki..." he whimpered as he entered the room, pressing himself up against the shinigami. "This place is creepy, can we go home now.."

"This is my room," he murmured in response. "And also part of your training: overcome fears." He moved forward slowly, his bare feet creaking against the rotting floor as he did so. He took a seat on the ragged, torn-up chair and clicked into the computer system.

It was exactly as he'd left it: factory settings, no data. Perfect for a beginner.

"Come here, Mr. Trancy. I am going to teach you how to use a computer," L ordered softly. He knows my identity now, but I am okay with that; if he knows that I am L, then he will be able to further trust my judgment. I may have to explain the Near being L thing, though that will not be too hard to do.. I will require his secrecy, however.

Alois nodded slowly and approached L and the computer, a nervous look on his face as he gazed around the room.

"Watch," L murmured, holding up the mouse. "This controls what you do on the computer. You use it to click on things. See?" He clicked on the default programs. They didn't open, of course; L had blocked access to them in the coding for the data deletion. He was simply showing Alois how to use the mouse. "And this is the keyboard. See the individual letters? Press them and they appear on the screen." He typed in an url to prove his point. Once again, nothing happened. "These icons show you battery life, internet connection, sound, PC issues, and Bluetooth, which is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances. Data is information; technology is the collection of techniques, methods or processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. All of what you see is advanced technology." L went on to explain everything there was to know about computers, and even gave Alois a basic lesson in coding. Finally, he stood, allowing Alois to sit in the chair. "Now it is your turn. Open up a new document and type in four sentences, please."

Alois listened to the man explain things with curiosity, and when he commanded him to type sentences in a document, the blonde-haired boy quickly did so. Derp.

"Do you understand how computers work?" L muttered, masking his uncomfortable feelings- he did not like the room's condition, and was prepared for some Japanese demon or something to jump out of the shadows and attack.

Alois nodded at that, a small grin on his face. "Yep!" he chirped in response.

"Good. And now that you know how to use computers..." L typed in several lines of code, breaking through the system and revealing all of his old documents, as well as sources. He clicked on one of the sources- a website advertising every newspaper in the world, ever- and searched through headlines until he found the one concerning Madame Red's- no, Angelina's- death. "Ah, here we are. Read this out loud," he ordered Alois.

Alois read it out loud. Derp.

"What do you make of it?"

"Well, she was murdered by an unknown person that I'm assuming hasn't been found yet." He shrugged after saying that, not really getting the point of this.

"That is where manipulation comes in. We now know that there are no recorded leads, but if you walk around a bit and slowly pry information from the depths of people's minds, then surely you will find enough evidence to put two and two together? Now that you know this, who do you think you should start the questioning with- meaning, who are you going to ask first?"

"...Ciel? Apparently she was his aunt..."

"No, try again."

"...Scotland Yard?"

"And why would you ask them?"

"...Because they might have the information..?"

[ 17 PM | 22 PM] "But we just checked Scotland Yard. Try again."

"...I've got nothin'."

"Me."

"...Why?"

"Because I could be the murderer. You do not know whether I am or aren't, so it would be logical for you to start prying with me. Understood? When you start a case, you must always be suspicious of those around you."

"...So, you're saying I should just go up to random people and ask them if they killed someone?"

"No. Once again, manipulation. But let's do an exercise first. Try to pry a confession out of me; to me, all suspects are guilty unless proven otherwise."

"Um..."

[ 48 PM | 51 PM] "Go on, then."

"Uh... did you kill her..?"

"You need to be far less blunt about it. Ask something that leads in to my confession..."

[ 38 PM | 08 PM] "So, uh... where were you when she died?"

"Oh, I was in the alleyway, where she was murdered." He made no attempt to lie.

"...And what were you doing?"

"Taking careful... observations, you could say..."

"...Are you the one who killed her?"

"Still too blunt," L warned. "A yes or no question like that is difficult to decipher. Try again." Ask me what observations I was making.

"Uh... what 'observations' were you making..?"

"Very... useful ones." He frowned a bit, his eyes narrowing. "Keep asking me questions, Mr. Trancy; what you are doing is going into detail. At this point I would have arrested me on grounds that I was a suspect. However, you do not have that power... yet. So, you will have to continue questioning me. Carry on." Ask me how they were useful.

"...And how were they 'useful'?"

"They helped me watch the murderer do his work," L replied. "You didn't see that coming. Now I've taken the role of an informant." He lowered his voice significantly. "It was Grell Sutcliff who murdered Madame Red, also known as Angelina Durless. But now you must ask me for details, Mr. Trancy."

"Er... What's the details?"

"Classified." Are you catching on?

"Come on, tell me!"

"What's in it for me, Mr. Trancy?"

"...Just tell me."

"No, that's not how it works. You have to offer a bribe."

"...I'll give you cake?"

"Something generic. Remember, I am a stranger to you. You know nothing about me, or what I like."

"...I'll give you money."

"Fair enough. Grell Sutcliff is a shinigami, and was aiding Madame Red in killing prostitutes who had abortions. The reason for this is pretty obvious, so I will not go into detail apart from saying she could not bear children. She was also a widow. She and Mr. Sutcliff killed lots of women before finally meeting Mr. Phantomhive and Mr. Michealis in an alleyway. I watched the entire thing. Mr. Sutcliff, at the very end, killed Madame Red with his death scythe after she refused to kill Mr. Phantomhive. Mr. Sutcliff is the murderer. Well done, Mr. Trancy; you have solved your first case." I solved it and I take full credit.

"Er... okay..."

"And what are you going to do with this information? You now have a convict, but... can you really trust my word?"

Alois shrugged in response.

[ 51 PM | 54 PM] "Are my words being wasted?"

"No..."

"Now that you have a suspect, you must ask them about the incident. Surely you know who Grell Sutcliff is? He's the one who's constantly fawning over Mr. Michealis."

"Oh, yeah... that red-haired wierd guy with the shark teeth."

[ 20 PM | 40 PM] "That's another attribute of European shinigami: they have sharp teeth..." L flashed a grin, his teeth sharp, like daggers. He stopped grinning and allowed his face to return to its normal resting expression. "Since you know who Sutcliff is, we must ask him at once." L turned towards the huge computer monitor. "But... I have to take care of something first." My career is over. My monitors died with me! He smashed his fist through the screen on the computer, and shards of polarized glass flew across the table and abandoned chairs. The entire system shut down, and L made sure that the control board was demolished. He then grabbed Alois's hand and teleported back to the townhouse.

"Mr. Soma!" he called, since the Indian was the only servant who could see him. "Where is Mr. Sutcliff?" This is the first time we've interacted since my prank on you... how will you react to seeing me?

Soma glanced over at the 'ghost' who had tormented him a few weeks ago, and nearly jumped out of his skin. "O-Oh, hi there, Mr. Shinigami person! Er... Who are you wanting? I don't know anyone called 'Mr. Sutcliff', you should ask someone else!"

"Where is Mr. Phantomhive, rather? Apologies; I mixed up names."

"He's probably at his manor..."

"I checked. He is not there. Do you have any clues?"

"Nope... I haven't seen him in a while, so.."

"Do I need to repeat myself? Where is Mr. Phantomhive?" His tone was quite threatening. I still pull your strings, Soma. You are still susceptible to fear.

Soma yelped and leaped back, pressing himself against the wall. "I-I don't /know/! Honest! I have no idea where he is, please just leave me in peace, I haven't seen Ciel in weeks, I don't know where he is or what he does when he's not here!"

"Thank you for your information," L muttered, backing away. He grabbed Alois's hand and teleported back to the manor; after all, he wasn't just going to leave the boy alone in a strange place. He let go of Alois and marched into the kitchen to eat cake.

Alois turned to stare at L, an unamused look on his face. "Why did you do that?" he then asked. "That was kinda mean... you knew where Ciel was, so why scare that guy?"

"I do not know where Ciel is," L replied, rooting through the refrigerator. "I have not looked for him. Mr. Soma is a puppet to me; I control the strings when I choose to do so. It is cruel, but it is useful; if I frighten him enough, then he will do as I tell him. It is... efficient."

"Yeah, but..." Alois trailed off, and then just shrugged and turned to go flop onto the couch- right on top of a big furry black lump, who was discussing things with Sebastian.

"/Claude!/" Alois exclaimed, lunging to wrap his arms around Claude's neck in a tight hug. Claude huffed and reared up on his hindlegs, causing Alois to slide off. He then leaped over the back of the couch, making his way towards the door, about to leave again. When Alois tried to follow, Sebastian lightly held him back.

"Let him go," the demon murmured, watching Claude leave. "He's not exactly in the best of spirits at the moment- he only came to ask me a few questions, being both his father and mentor. He doesn't want to stay, for classified reasons."

Alois was not exactly happy about that.

"Makes sense," L commented rather loudly from the kitchen. "I would not either if I were a useless wolf." He had found the cake and was eating it whilst standing near the far wall of the living room.

"Ryuzaki!" Alois exclaimed, surprised he would say such a thing. "Why would you-?!"

Claude stopped in his tracks for a moment, his ears tightly flattening against his head. He looked over his shoulder for a moment, glaring lightly at L for a moment, before dashing away again.

"Add insult to injury, will you..." the wolf muttered under his breath as he exited through the door. "Pouring salt into an open wound, you stupid..."

"Useless," L repeated softly, his eyes widening significantly. "A waste of air and valuable space..." He continued to eat his cake.

Alois glared at L as he said that, and Claude's head and tail lowered even further as he stalked away from the manor.

"How could you say something like that about him?!" Alois then spat, glaring intensely at L. "You're cruel!"

"Incredibly," L agreed, casually throwing his spoon against the wall. "Incredibly cruel... manipulative... pitiless... unable to feel anything other than the weight on my shoulders... yes, I am aware." He had finished his cake, and retreated to the kitchen to place the plate into the sink. "And yet, I was chosen to be revived. How generous of the Japanese shinigami."

Alois snorted and sat himself down on the couch, arms crossed over his chest, looking very pissed off.

Meanwhile, Claude headed back to Hell to return to his life as a loner.

"Mr. Faustus is not a waste of space; rather, he is... difficult to get along with. Mr. River was correct; he has issues."

"And what do you mean by that?" Alois huffed, sending a light glare at L. "He seemed perfectly fine to get along with around me. Is it because of that /one/ argument you two had about me? Is that really a reason to insult him like that? I bet you're the reason he left!"

"Wouldn't be surprised... though I have made it clear I dislike his wolf form. He refuses to even attempt to find a way to speed up the process, which is part of the reason I consider a colleague instead of a friend: I hate ignorance."

[ 6:00:54 PM] "Actually, in case you didn't notice, he talks to Sebastian about that all the time, trying to figure out ways. It's just probably when you're not around or in the room, but I've heard it!"

"Perhaps he should ask someone who knows what they're talking about."

"Like who? Sebastian's probably the only one he knows!"

"There are plenty of demons he can find if he simply looked around a bit. I am finished with this conversation; it is making me nauseous to even think about wolves. Thank you for your unnecessary participation." L turned and walked out of the manor, heading towards Undertaker's shop- maybe he'll know a thing or two, despite him being a shinigami. He is a deserter; he does not wear the glasses. We are deserters.

Meanwhile, Claude was searching pretty much everywhere in Hell he could find; libraries, elders, everything, and he couldn't find a single thing on how to transform back into a human on a demon's first animal transformation. No one knew a single thing.

Sebastian then followed after L, eyes narrowed. "You know, I've been a demon for over a million years. I think I know what I'm talking about, and am much more knowledgeable than any of the younger demons he could contact."

L stopped at that. "You are all quite dense," he muttered. "Honestly, I am not sure why I hang around with you... Maybe it is because I'm desperate for a replacement for Watari."

"Actually, you're the one who is dense," Sebastian snapped, rolling his eyes. "You think you know about demons, you think you know better than I do. You're a /shinigami/, who was once a /human/, and have only lived fo 20-something years. You don't know nearly as much as I do. I am /literally/ over a million years old, I'm the /son/ of /Lucifer/ for crying out loud, I know what I am talking about. It's /not/ Claude's fault that he's in a wolf form and can't transform, he's been doing all he can to find a solution. Hell, he's been searching every library in Hell for some sort of solution that may be found in a book, he's contacted Kari, one of the oldest demons there is, and no one has been able to provide him with an answer. He's tried, but it just isn't possible. The wolf form will have to be waited out, every single demon goes through it. Hell, I had to live as a damned /crow/ for a year!"

L remained silent, not bothering to respond. I do not want to fight, Mr. Michealis. He continued to totter down the street, hands stuffed inside his pockets as he changed his direction and began to head towards the shops. If I can get away with stealing some provisions, then maybe I will be able to set up a paradise setting somewhere nice... somewhere scenic is preferable, but I don't mind living in a city.

Sebastian snorted at that and turned away. "Suit yourself, L," he huffed. "If you really want to give him up, so be it."

And with that, he returned home.

Give him up? I never trusted or had faith in him; he was simply a puppet for me to bide my time with. L realized he had walked right past the shops, but decided that it would be a waste of effort to return the way he'd come. Instead, he transported himself up to the shinigami realm, where he approached the shopping district with his usual resting bitch face.

Claude had recently now been captured by a group of shinigami, and the black wolf was now being attacked very close to where L was, being viciously stabbed and sliced with their death scythes, held down and beaten as he tried to escape, but failed.

"That's what'cha get, you stupid halfblood!" one shinigami spat, stabbing Claude in the ribs. "Crawl into the pits of Hell's prisons where you belong, mutt!"

L crept towards the noise, curious. His expression darkened, and he immediately moved onto the offense, attacking the group of shinigami without mercy. He kicked and slashed and bit at them, even tearing open their flesh with his teeth. Blood splattered across his face and shirt, but he continued to thoroughly beat them up.

Claude merely laid there, barely conscious and covered in his own blood, as L attacked his captors. The shinigami were taken by surprise, and as such, were easy to defeat.

L watched as they ran away and wiped the blood off of his face with his shirt sleeve. "Mr. Faustus, you are going to have to improve your defense skills. You're horrible at it."

Claude didn't respond, being unable to even move his jaws now. He merely shifted his eyes, staring up at L with pain-filled golden eyes, not moving a muscle.

"A reaper to a sower, Mr. Faustus: relying on others to save your worthless hide will never result in anything other than your own defeat." L picked up Claude and dangling him over his back, carrying the wolf to L's apartment- which had remained vacant due to L's crashing at everybody else's houses. Quite unlike me to do such things... I liked my old life better. This one is too exciting and too unchallenging.

Claude didn't respond other than his ears lightly twitching, a tiny little whine-like noise escaping his throat. After a while, he finally found the strength to lightly move his jaws, speaking in broken sentences: "...Did... you really... expect me to.. be able to... fight off... 50 shinigami.. on my own... in this form?"

"Yes," L replied, turning on the lights to his apartment and casually setting Claude down on the couch. "I did." He retrieved medical supplies from the cabinet in the bathroom and began fixing up Claude's wounds. Another reason I dislike being a shinigami: Watari's inventions are not here. Meaning... my bathroom essentials are nonexistent. I hate it.

Claude snorted at that, and went still, allowing L to tend to his wounds. He really had no choice; it's not like he could fight him off in his state. "I tried..." he then croaked out a moment later. "But one of 'em got me.. stabbed me in the head..."

He then flattened his ears to the side, revealing a large hole in his head which had been hidden by the fur around his ears. "Was immobilized, and they.. kept on with the scythes.."

"I don't need details. In fact, I'd rather you not talk," L replied, dressing and wrapping he head wound. "Now, go to sleep before I take action. Sweet dreams." With that, he turned off the lights in the living room and retreated to his bedroom to try and replicate the many inventions Watari had made for him.

Claude went silent, not saying another word.


End file.
